Snooker Competitor Disqualified for Alleged Game Rigging Claims World Title
⚠️ Warning: This content discusses match-fixing and gambling.
May 6, 2025, 10:32h.
Last updated on: May 6, 2025, 10:32h.
Philip Conneller @casinoorgphilc ️Read More Gaming Business Regulation Tribal Gaming
Behold the fresh face of snooker's elite - a man whose journey to the top is nothing short of astonishing. Zhao Xintong, the 27-year-old cue master, has etched his name into the annals of the sport, becoming the first Asian player to win the World Snooker Championship after a gripping battle against three-time world champion Mark Williams.
Divide the snooker table into a field 12ft long and over 6ft wide, sprinkle 21 vividly-colored balls, and one white cue ball - and you've got yourself a snooker table. The objective is to strategically pocket these balls to score points. Snooker, with its intricate mechanics and prestigious annual World Championship, is often nicknamed the "Super Bowl" of cue sports.
Behind this remarkable victory lies a darker chapter in Zhao's career. In 2022, he was entangled in a match-fixing scandal, which ultimately led to a 20-month suspension. Zhao was not directly accused of throwing matches, but was found to have knowledge of games being manipulated and admitted to betting on them himself.
Ten Chinese professional players, including Liang Wenbo and Li Hang, were similarly implicated and faced severe penalties, with Li Hang being banned for life. In January 2023, Zhao received his punishment: a ban from professional competition until September 2024.
Upon his return, Zhao faced an uphill battle. He had to claw his way through the amateur circuits to earn a spot in the World Championship - a feat he accomplished with aplomb. This marked a historical first as an "amateur" took the championship title.
The drama and tension surrounding Zhao's triumph were palpable at the Crucible. A sea of cheers and roars washed over the venue as Zhao clinched the victory, making his countrymen proud. After the match, Zhao humbly acknowledged his obvious elation, stating: "I'm very happy I've done this for them. It's unbelievable. This is like a dream."
Mark Williams, the defeated champion, showed immense sportsmanship, acknowledging Zhao as a future force to be reckoned with in the snooker world: "There's a new superstar of the game...He just strolls around the table and pots balls from anywhere as if he doesn't have a care in the world."
Zhao's extraordinary journey proves that even in the face of scandal and adversity, redemption and success can still be attained. Here's to the Chinese snooker sensation - may his talents continue to captivate the nations for years to come.
Source: The Guardian
Additional Information: Zhao Xintong had previously won both the UK Championship and the German Masters. His ban, one of the shortest handed out by the WPBSA, expired in September 2024. Zhao admitted to being party to an effort to fix or contrive to fix two matches involving Yan Bingtao and to placing bets on matches, but he did not personally fix any matches himself.[1][2]
- Despite a tumultuous past that included a match-fixing scandal in 2022, Zhao Xintong, the Chinese snooker prodigy, made history by winning the Snooker World Championship 2025, defying the general-news and crime-and-justice categories.
- Having served a 20-month ban, Zhao returned to the snooker scene in the amateur circuits, demonstrating his likely determination to reclaim his spot in the sport's elite.
- The competitive landscape of snooker, often compared to the prestigious World Snooker Championship, makes it susceptible to match-fixing snooker cases, as was evident with Zhao's controversial past.
- Following his triumph at the 2025 Snooker World Championship, Zhao expressed his happiness and gratitude, acknowledging the joy he brought to his countrymen and the Taiwanese snooker community.
- The significance of Zhao's victory is further underlined by the fact that he clinched the title after an upward battle that began in the amateur circuits.
- As sports regulations continuously struggle to combat match-fixing and gambling, the snooker world is currently watching Zhao Xintong as a symbol of redemption and resilience in the face of adversity.
