Zhao Xintong was banned for 1 year and 8 months! Issue an apology explaining the reasons for the participation
In the early morning of June 7, Beijing time, the result was finally available on the alleged manipulation of the game by 10 Chinese snooker players such as Liang Wenbo, Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong. The World Professional Snooker Association's disciplinary committee released a 58-page report detailing the specific violations committed by the 10 players, as well as the results of the penalties.
Liang Wenbo and Li Xing were banned for life and had to pay a fine of £43,000, the first lifetime ban in snooker's history.
Liang Wenbo Infographic
Lu Ning was banned for 5 years and 4 months, Yan Bingtao was banned for 5 years, and Zhao Xintong was banned for 1 year and 8 months. Chen Zifan, Zhang Health, Chang Bingyu, Bai Langning, and Zhao Jianbo were also subject to varying degrees of bans and fines.
Zhao Xintong, 26, is accused of being the subject of another player in manipulating two snooker matches on March 3 and 11, 2022. Between September 1, 2019 and December 31, 2022, he placed bets on matches in violation of the regulations.
As a result, Zhao Xintong was sentenced to a ban of 2 years and 6 months, which was reduced to 1 year and 8 months after his cooperation and guilty plea, and when the ban was lifted on September 1, 2024, he also had to pay a fine of £7,500.
Zhao Xintong's punishment was the lightest of all 10.
Zhao Xintong was born on April 3, 1997, and before his ban, he was ranked ninth in the world, the highest ranked Chinese player at the time.
In the final of the British Snooker Championship in December 2021, the then 24-year-old Zhao Xintong won the title with a 10-5 victory over Belgium's Brecel, achieving a number of important career breakthroughs. Since then, Zhao Xintong has been seen as a leading figure in the future of Chinese snooker.
However, the young man was disoriented.
In the early morning of June 7, after the punishment results were announced, Zhao Xintong immediately issued an "apology statement" to sincerely say sorry to everyone. Zhao Xintong admits that he is not strict with himself, does not learn enough about player rules and regulations, betrays the trust of fans, and shames Chinese snooker.
"Living alone overseas is boring and isolated, and I blindly follow the example of others and choose the most wrong way to pass the time - gambling." However, he said he never had the thought or behavior of manipulating the game.
Zhao Xintong explained that at that time, his friend asked him to help place bets, he did not refuse, did not report to the disciplinary committee, but only responded to his friend's request, from which there was no benefit in return, he paid the price for his stupid behavior, and he was in remorse every day.
In the end, Zhao Xintong said that he would change his mind, be brave after being shamed, prove himself with his results, and return to the competition with a better image.
The full text of Zhao Xintong's "Apology Statement" is as follows: