Digging deep into the "gambling case" Zhao Xintong: The only player who did not personally manipulate the game was given the lightest punishment
The World Professional Billy and Snooker Association (WPBSA) released a 58-page detailed "report" while announcing the results of the handling of the ten players involved in the "gambling case".
The Report is divided into seven parts, including "Introduction", "Enforcement Background", "Factual Background", "WPBSA Conduct Regulations", "Determination of Responsibility", "Reasons for Judgment" and "Penalty Results", which contain almost all the details related to the "gambling case", and is the most important tool for a comprehensive understanding of the "gambling case". However, the content of the report is too cumbersome to be fully reflected in a single push. "Billiards Don't Make a Noise" has distilled the most important elements of the report. From now on, it will be pushed in serial form in chapters.
The following is a compilation of all the key contents related to Zhao Xintong in the sections "Reasons for the Judgment" and "Punishment Results".
In the detailed report released by the WPBSA, Zhao Xintong faced two major and three small charges, and Zhao Xintong admitted all the charges, so all the charges were established. However, Zhao Xintong was the only one of the defendants who did not manipulate any of the matches himself. His involvement was limited to betting on Yan Bingtao through Lee, thus becoming a participant in the manipulation of both tournaments.
Zhao Xintong's final actual ban period was 1 year and 8 months, the shortest ban of any player. After the punishment result was released, Zhao Xintong immediately posted a sincere "Apology Statement" on his Weibo.
Charge 22
Participated in a snooker competition designed to manipulate or arrange the following
The act of the result or score
Charges 22-A (established): 2022, Welsh Open, 1/16 final, Yan Bingtao 2-4 R. Wharton. Reached agreement with Yan Bingtao or worked hard to manipulate the outcome of the game.
Zhao Xintong admitted the allegation
Charge 22-b (established): 2022, Turkish Masters, 1/8 final, Yan Bingtao 4-5 O. Lynes. Reached agreement with Yan Bingtao or worked hard to manipulate the outcome of the game.
Zhao Xintong admitted the allegation
Charge 23
Charge 23: Bets on the outcome, score, progress, conduct or otherwise of a tour or match on multiple occasions between September 1, 2019 and December 31, 2022.
Zhao Xintong admitted the allegation.
punish
We made the following findings on Zhao Xintong:
(1) Engaging in two acts of manipulating or arranging the results or scores of snooker matches.
(2) Bet on the outcome, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the match on multiple occasions during the period between September 1, 2019 and December 31, 2022.
Zhao Xintong was the only one among all the accused players who did not manipulate any of the matches himself. His involvement was limited to betting on Yan Bingtao through Lee, thus becoming a participant in the manipulation of both tournaments. He is good friends with Yan Bingtao and has known him since he was 16 years old. He tried twice to dissuade Yan Bingtao from manipulating the match, but was unsuccessful. He felt that he had no choice but to bet for Yan Bingtao, because Yan Bingtao made a request. He expressed sincere remorse for his actions.
The WPBSA believes that Zhao Xintong's participation is important and serious, because without his participation, Yan Bingtao would not have manipulated the game. We believe that the WPBSA does not prove this in fact and therefore reject the claim.
We consider the temporary suspension period for Zhao Xintong to be 1 year for each participation in the manipulation of the match, and the suspension period for wagering on him is 6 months, and these consecutive periods are enforced. Zhao Xintong admitted the charges against him at the earliest opportunity, so he should receive a one-third discount for a total of 2 years and 6 months of ban. As a result, Zhao Xintong was banned for a total of 1 year and 8 months.