World Snooker Orders Match-fixing Probe

World Snooker has launched a formal inquiry into a potential match-fixing incident following irregular betting patterns during the first round of the UK Championships at Telford.

The allegations surround Jamie Burnett’s first-round loss to Stephen Maguire at the UK Championships on Sunday where Burnett was beaten 9-3.

It has since emerged that several bookmakers stopped taking bets on that exact scoreline well before the match started. The 33-year-old Scot, who denies any wrongdoing, missed a relatively simple black in the 12th frame, which would have made it 8-4.

World Snooker has instructed specialist lawyers to help in the case and commented in a statement: ‘The WPBSA is committed to taking all steps within its power to protect the integrity of the sport.

‘At approximately 1650 GMT on Friday, 12th December we received a telephone call from a bookmaker, reporting an unusual pattern of bets on Stephen Maguire to beat Jamie Burnett by a frame score of 9-3 in a match due to take place on the Sunday.

‘The WPBSA immediately notified its other bookmaker contacts, so that the bookmakers could alert the industry. It also arranged for World Snooker officials to attend and observe the match in question and secured tapes of the match afterwards for further study.

‘As part of the investigation, information will be gathered from all pertinent parties, including the players themselves, the match officials, the bookmakers and others in order to determine whether or not there is a case to answer for breach of the WPBSA’s rules.

‘If it is determined that there is a case to answer, the WPBSA will pursue it vigorously.’