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JOHN Higgins has been cleared of all match-fixing allegations made against him by the News of the World, but has been found guilty of the lesser charges relating to his failure to inform the WPBSA of an approach of an invitation to act in breach of betting rules, resulting in a £75,000 fine and a six month ban backdating to May.

The News of the World released footage on 3 May (the first day of the final of the World Championship) appearing to show Higgins and his then-manager, Pat Mooney agreeing to alter the results of frames for financial gain during a conversation with their undercover reporter at a hotel in Kiev, Ukraine.

The findings of Ian Mill QC, working on behalf of Sport Resolutions UK, point the blame for the fiasco squarely at Higgins’s former manager, Pat Mooney.

Mooney initially approached the undercover reporter, posing as a businessman calling himself Marcus D’Souza, with a view to setting up a tournament in Ukraine as part of his World Series of Snooker promotion.

Mr Mill concludes that Mooney was made aware no later than 8 April 2010 that of the fact that those behind him in the purported business venture were looking to make money through gambling in circumstances where frames in snooker matches were deliberately thrown.

Mooney failed to disclose this encounter to the WPBSA, of which he was a Board member at the time, or to Higgins. He continued his engagement with D’Souza and persuaded Higgins to accompany him to meet with those behind the venture in Kiev.

On 29 April 2010, it was made clear to Mooney on several occasions in Higgins’s absence that the subject of frame throwing had to be discussed with Higgins. However, Mooney said nothing to Higgins until minutes before the meeting the following day.

When Mooney finally did mention the subject to Higgins, misrepresented to him the position, stating it was possible that the subject might not come up at all. Mooney also did not advise Higgins to make it clear that frame throwing was out of the question, and he did not even discuss with him the possibility of leaving Kiev without attending the meeting.

Mooney had responded positively to the suggestion of frame throwing in all his previous discussions with D’Souza, and had brought Higgins to Kiev with the purpose of discussing the matter.

Without any opportunity for mature reflection, Higgins, who is by nature someone who seeks to avoid confrontation or unpleasantness, decided to play along with the discussion when the topic did indeed arise. He also found the atmosphere in the meeting somewhat intimidating.

His focus was entirely on bringing the meeting to an end as soon as possible and getting on a plane home. Mr Mill’s findings conclude that Higgins would never throw, and had no intention at that meeting of throwing any frame of snooker for reward.

At the meeting in Kiev on April 30, Mooney continued to represent himself as able and willing to participate in, and to procure, corrupt frame throwing. Following the meeting, he failed to report the events to the WPBSA nor did he advise Higgins to do so.

The findings concluded that Higgins had been put in a highly invidious position by Mooney, who was entirely responsible for Higgins’s presence in Kiev, and, in particular, at the meting on 30 April. Mr Mill states that Higgins can be criticised for the way in which he chose to respond to the situation in which he found himself.

However, the findings state that Higgins was extremely foolish not to comply with his obligations under Rule 3.1.4.4.

In mitigation, Higgins’s legal representative reminded Mr Mill of his client’s exemplary record both in terms of achievement and conduct, and of his role as an ambassador for the sport.

Mr Mill decided to bear this in mind, but considered that with such a status comes particular responsibilities to other players in the game, to the Association, to its sponsors and to the viewing public to ensure that the Association’s Rules, particularly in relation to gambling.

On that basis, Higgins was suspended for six months, backdating to 2 May, and that he should pay a fine of £75,000 as well as contributing to the WPBSA’s legal costs of £10,000.

Mr Mill concludes that Mooney committed ‘the most egregious betrayals of trust - both in relation to the Association, to which he owed fiduciary obligations as a Director and by reason of his great influence in the world of snooker, and to Mr Higgins whose entire career and professional future he inexplicably put at serious and wholly unjustifiable risk’.

Mooney resigned from the Board on 2 May and his membership of the Association was suspended on 6 May 2010. Mr Mill recommends that the suspension becomes a permanent ban.

Mooney’s legal representative has stated that his client’s involvement in the world of snooker is at an end, and Mr Mill states this should remain the case.

It was revealed that Mooney’s finances are currently in a precarious state, and as a result it was not considered appropriate to impose a fine. Mooney will, however, be made to make a contribution towards the Association’s costs of £25,000.

Following the publication of the findings, Higgins said: "I welcome today's judgment by Sport Resolutions and endorsed by the WPBSA following their exhaustive enquiry into the allegations against me by a tabloid newspaper.

"I have never been involved in any form of snooker match fixing.

"In my 18 years playing professional snooker, I have never deliberately missed a shot, never mind intentionally lost a frame or a match. 

 

 

"If I am guilty of anything, it is of naivety and trusting those who, I believed, were working in the best interests of snooker and myself."

Following the publication of the findings, World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “John made a mistake in failing to report the meeting in Kiev. He has admitted this mistake and expressed great regret at what happened.

“The evidence, which has been exhaustively studied by David Douglas and Sport Resolutions, suggests that he was led into this situation and did not instigate any discussions of corrupt activity.

“It seems certain, in view of his previous record and the ambassadorial work he has done for snooker, that this was a mistake he will never repeat. I’m sure Sport Resolutions took these factors into account in coming to their verdict.

“The new educational programme will teach players, particularly the new professionals coming into the game, about the pitfalls associated with betting and make clear the standards expected by the WPBSA.

“John has suffered a devastating blow to his career and reputation, but he can come back from it – and he has pledged to help others learn from his experiences.

“The programme will be a key part of the Integrity Unit’s goal to proactively address any form of corruption and make our sport a standard bearer for sports integrity.

“Today’s outcome is a positive step towards this goal and, with the support of all the players, I fully believe that it will be achieved.”