John Higgins accused of match fixing for cash
Discussion
Article in the News Of The World, but the video footage seems pretty damning for Higgins. Unbelievable if true, and begs the question how long has it been going on and to what extent, and how many other top sportsmen could be bent?
If anyone's following the World Championship at Sheffield (final today and Monday) Higgins lost in the 2nd round to Steve Davis, and although Davis played extremely well many punters questioned Higgins' performance - he was 25/1 ON to win that match (25k risk to win 1k). Then this comes out...
What a disgrace if true, sickens me to the core.
If anyone's following the World Championship at Sheffield (final today and Monday) Higgins lost in the 2nd round to Steve Davis, and although Davis played extremely well many punters questioned Higgins' performance - he was 25/1 ON to win that match (25k risk to win 1k). Then this comes out...
Article said:
MILLIONAIRE World Snooker champion John Higgins is captured here on camera shaking hands on a disgraceful deal to fix a string of high-profile matches after demanding a £300,000 kickback.
After 34-year-old Higgins' shock defeat in the tournament at the hands of veteran Steve Davis, he flew to the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and in a meeting with undercover News of the World investigators on Friday shamelessly:
AGREED to deliberately LOSE frames in four matches so that illegal gambling syndicates could clean up.
HAGGLED over the best ways to cover up the bribe - finally settled at Euro 300,000 (£261,000).
BRAGGED it was "easy" to fool fans into believing they were watching genuine snooker action.
Astonishingly, the entire deal was set up and agreed with Higgins' agent Pat Mooney, a board memeber of the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association and one of the sport's top four officials charged with POLICING the game.
At first, Greedy Mooney and Higgins saw the chance of making a legal fortune out of our team, who were posing as businessmen interested in organising a series of events linked to the World Snooker Series - effectively a European Tour of snooker.
The scandal will cast a dark shadow over the final of this year's championship which starts today and disgust the millions of fans tuning into the BBC to watch their sporting idols.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/801641/How-sn...After 34-year-old Higgins' shock defeat in the tournament at the hands of veteran Steve Davis, he flew to the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and in a meeting with undercover News of the World investigators on Friday shamelessly:
AGREED to deliberately LOSE frames in four matches so that illegal gambling syndicates could clean up.
HAGGLED over the best ways to cover up the bribe - finally settled at Euro 300,000 (£261,000).
BRAGGED it was "easy" to fool fans into believing they were watching genuine snooker action.
Astonishingly, the entire deal was set up and agreed with Higgins' agent Pat Mooney, a board memeber of the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association and one of the sport's top four officials charged with POLICING the game.
At first, Greedy Mooney and Higgins saw the chance of making a legal fortune out of our team, who were posing as businessmen interested in organising a series of events linked to the World Snooker Series - effectively a European Tour of snooker.
The scandal will cast a dark shadow over the final of this year's championship which starts today and disgust the millions of fans tuning into the BBC to watch their sporting idols.
What a disgrace if true, sickens me to the core.
This really is shocking stuff.
John has always been the ultimate pro (or so we thought) - gave it his all, was gracious in both victory and defeat, and was a top family man. It was players like Higgins what made snooker what it is, a gents sport.
It's amazing what greed can do to people.
Very very sad news for snooker.
Higgin's agent has come out to say they played along with this because 'they feared for their lives'.
Yes when John was talking about his Villa in Spain and what was the best way to deal with the 300k, he sounded very very scared, NOT!
John has always been the ultimate pro (or so we thought) - gave it his all, was gracious in both victory and defeat, and was a top family man. It was players like Higgins what made snooker what it is, a gents sport.
It's amazing what greed can do to people.
Very very sad news for snooker.
Higgin's agent has come out to say they played along with this because 'they feared for their lives'.
Yes when John was talking about his Villa in Spain and what was the best way to deal with the 300k, he sounded very very scared, NOT!
Wow. Higgins suspended from future tournaments and his manager has resigned!
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/803520/John-H...
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/803520/John-H...
It's amazing what greed does to people.
Take cricket for example.
Hansie Cronje and Mohammed Azharuddin were at the top of their professions, highly paid and were national heroes who were worshipped everywhere they went yet still fixed matches and betrayed their sport and country.
Well Higgins has been suspended whilst his manager has resigned from all his snooker associations.
Listening to Barry Hearn on tv earlier, he sounds absolutely gutted.
Take cricket for example.
Hansie Cronje and Mohammed Azharuddin were at the top of their professions, highly paid and were national heroes who were worshipped everywhere they went yet still fixed matches and betrayed their sport and country.
Well Higgins has been suspended whilst his manager has resigned from all his snooker associations.
Listening to Barry Hearn on tv earlier, he sounds absolutely gutted.
Suspension for Higgins and manager has resigned from his position on the board - not sure he's got a get out here and I imagine a lengthy ban or permanent suspension could be on the cards for Higgins based on the fact that they're trying to rejuvinate the sport and this won't do anything to help them...
5unny said:
This really is shocking stuff.
John has always been the ultimate pro (or so we thought) - gave it his all, was gracious in both victory and defeat, and was a top family man. It was players like Higgins what made snooker what it is, a gents sport.
John has always been the ultimate pro (or so we thought) - gave it his all, was gracious in both victory and defeat, and was a top family man. It was players like Higgins what made snooker what it is, a gents sport.
Camp 5unny, everyone in the *world* is bent!
Well the BBC have just read out a statement from Higgins where he basically said he thought the reporters were 'Russian Mafia' so played along so they could get out of the country.
That doesn't explain why they didn't report it to the authorities when they got back to the UK or why during the video he was talking about ways he could launder the dirty money through his Spanish property.
That doesn't explain why they didn't report it to the authorities when they got back to the UK or why during the video he was talking about ways he could launder the dirty money through his Spanish property.
5unny said:
Well the BBC have just read out a statement from Higgins where he basically said he thought the reporters were 'Russian Mafia' so played along so they could get out of the country.
That doesn't explain why they didn't report it to the authorities when they got back to the UK or why during the video he was talking about ways he could launder the dirty money through his Spanish property.
Exactly. I wasn't exactly expecting him to say "fair play, you've got me", but he is clearly downright lying, and if anyone actually believes him then they need their head examined.That doesn't explain why they didn't report it to the authorities when they got back to the UK or why during the video he was talking about ways he could launder the dirty money through his Spanish property.
bonsai said:
5unny said:
Well the BBC have just read out a statement from Higgins where he basically said he thought the reporters were 'Russian Mafia' so played along so they could get out of the country.
That doesn't explain why they didn't report it to the authorities when they got back to the UK or why during the video he was talking about ways he could launder the dirty money through his Spanish property.
Exactly. I wasn't exactly expecting him to say "fair play, you've got me", but he is clearly downright lying, and if anyone actually believes him then they need their head examined.That doesn't explain why they didn't report it to the authorities when they got back to the UK or why during the video he was talking about ways he could launder the dirty money through his Spanish property.
bonsai said:
5unny said:
Well the BBC have just read out a statement from Higgins where he basically said he thought the reporters were 'Russian Mafia' so played along so they could get out of the country.
That doesn't explain why they didn't report it to the authorities when they got back to the UK or why during the video he was talking about ways he could launder the dirty money through his Spanish property.
Exactly. I wasn't exactly expecting him to say "fair play, you've got me", but he is clearly downright lying, and if anyone actually believes him then they need their head examined.That doesn't explain why they didn't report it to the authorities when they got back to the UK or why during the video he was talking about ways he could launder the dirty money through his Spanish property.
tamore said:
bonsai said:
5unny said:
Well the BBC have just read out a statement from Higgins where he basically said he thought the reporters were 'Russian Mafia' so played along so they could get out of the country.
That doesn't explain why they didn't report it to the authorities when they got back to the UK or why during the video he was talking about ways he could launder the dirty money through his Spanish property.
Exactly. I wasn't exactly expecting him to say "fair play, you've got me", but he is clearly downright lying, and if anyone actually believes him then they need their head examined.That doesn't explain why they didn't report it to the authorities when they got back to the UK or why during the video he was talking about ways he could launder the dirty money through his Spanish property.
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