Allen faces ban for Chinese cheating slur
Source: Agencies |
April 25, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE head of snooker's world governing body believes the image of the sport could be irreparably damaged by a seemingly baseless accusation from a leading player that China's growing breed of stars "blatantly cheat."
Outspoken Northern Irish player Mark Allen caused a storm at the world championships in Sheffield, England, with the comments he made after his first-round loss to China's Cao Yupeng on Sunday.
The 11th-ranked Allen accused Cao of failing to penalize himself for a "blatant push" at a key moment of the match, before claiming that cheating "seems to be a bit of a trait for the Chinese players because there have been instances in the past of fouls and blatant cheating going on."
Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Allen, with World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn warning the player could be banned for questioning the integrity of a band of players who are central to snooker's attempts at increasing its popularity outside its traditional stronghold of Britain.
"In major expanding markets - and there's no doubt China is that, big time - they (players) have to bear the responsibility of those comments and the potential loss, not to themselves or whether they don't get a visa, but the potential loss to the game in general and the desire for the rest of the players to earn a living playing their chosen sport," Hearn said.
"They have responsibility at every level, and it concerns me that sometimes it's a case that the mouth is functioning but the brain has not been consulted."
Hearn criticized Allen, winner of the World Open tournament in China, for making the claims while being one of the "chaperones of the image of the game."
"This is a very good time to be a snooker player," Hearn said. "It's not a good time to be an idiot."
Video replays proved inconclusive about whether Cao, ranked No. 81, did touch the ball twice with his tip while attempting a shot in the first frame of the match's second session. Allen was 5-4 down at the time and said afterward that he was "disgusted" at Cao's failure to admit he had fouled.
"I didn't realize if I had fouled. If I fouled, I say sorry. If I didn't foul and Mark said that then I would feel very upset and angry," Cao said.
Snooker is very popular in China, where 10th-ranked Ding Junhui is one of the country's most famous sportsmen. An increasing number of tournaments are being staged in the country, and a record five Chinese players have made it through to the first round at this year's world championships.
It isn't the first time Allen has been in trouble.
He was fined 1,000 pounds (US$1,600) for describing the island of Hainan, which staged the World Open, as "horrendous" and its people as "ignorant."
Last December, Allen called on Hearn to resign after changes were made to the format of tournaments.
Outspoken Northern Irish player Mark Allen caused a storm at the world championships in Sheffield, England, with the comments he made after his first-round loss to China's Cao Yupeng on Sunday.
The 11th-ranked Allen accused Cao of failing to penalize himself for a "blatant push" at a key moment of the match, before claiming that cheating "seems to be a bit of a trait for the Chinese players because there have been instances in the past of fouls and blatant cheating going on."
Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Allen, with World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn warning the player could be banned for questioning the integrity of a band of players who are central to snooker's attempts at increasing its popularity outside its traditional stronghold of Britain.
"In major expanding markets - and there's no doubt China is that, big time - they (players) have to bear the responsibility of those comments and the potential loss, not to themselves or whether they don't get a visa, but the potential loss to the game in general and the desire for the rest of the players to earn a living playing their chosen sport," Hearn said.
"They have responsibility at every level, and it concerns me that sometimes it's a case that the mouth is functioning but the brain has not been consulted."
Hearn criticized Allen, winner of the World Open tournament in China, for making the claims while being one of the "chaperones of the image of the game."
"This is a very good time to be a snooker player," Hearn said. "It's not a good time to be an idiot."
Video replays proved inconclusive about whether Cao, ranked No. 81, did touch the ball twice with his tip while attempting a shot in the first frame of the match's second session. Allen was 5-4 down at the time and said afterward that he was "disgusted" at Cao's failure to admit he had fouled.
"I didn't realize if I had fouled. If I fouled, I say sorry. If I didn't foul and Mark said that then I would feel very upset and angry," Cao said.
Snooker is very popular in China, where 10th-ranked Ding Junhui is one of the country's most famous sportsmen. An increasing number of tournaments are being staged in the country, and a record five Chinese players have made it through to the first round at this year's world championships.
It isn't the first time Allen has been in trouble.
He was fined 1,000 pounds (US$1,600) for describing the island of Hainan, which staged the World Open, as "horrendous" and its people as "ignorant."
Last December, Allen called on Hearn to resign after changes were made to the format of tournaments.
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