Higgins Framed For Match Fixing Allegations

Credit: Global Snooker

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A dark cloud has formed over the brightest weekend in the snooker calendar with a five-page story in The News of the World that outgoing world champion John Higgins has reportedly been caught on camera offering to fix a series of high-profile games.

The News of the World claims that he made the offer during a meeting with an undercover reporter in Kiev, Ukraine after flying there following his defeat by Steve Davis in the World Championship.

He is also said to have told the reporter that it was "easy" to fix matches.

The deal was apparently set up and agreed with Pat Mooney, Higgins' agent, a board member of the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association and one of the sport’s top officials charged with policing the game.

The claims threaten to overshadow the two-day final of this year's World Championship, which starts today.

Higgins, who was awarded an MBE for his services to sport, reportedly told the undercover reporter: " I'm thinking to myself how do I swallow £300,000 or Euros coming in…? "

The News of the World claims to have met Mooney to discuss match fixing prior to the meeting with Higgins. The newspaper said its reporters posed as businessmen interested in organising a series of events linked to the World Snooker Series.

After being confronted with the claims Mooney said: "You have no idea what the circumstances were in Kiev, that’s why I have no comment."

"But we were genuinely in fear for our safety. In that situation we were just fortunate to be able to leave the country."

Chairman of WPBSA, Barry Hearn has responded saying that "My views about cheating are well known."

"We will launch an immediate inquiry which will be led by former Chief Superintendent David Douglas who I appointed to the Board only last week."

"It's a very serious matter that we will look into immediately and take firm action."

Sunday 02 May 2010