Snooker in trouble

(Cue action: Higgins suspended over allegations of bribery)

Higgins snookered after allegation of bungs bring sport of all types into disrepute


Allegations this weekend about ex world champion of snooker John Higgins possibly fixing matches and recieving bungs for losing frames have thrown the sport of snooker into disrespect. The allegations will have disastrous effects on the game unfortunately and there will be probes into the entire world championship tournament under suspicion that fixing is at large.


This nasty side of sport is reflected in horse racing too, many people feel that aspects of racing are fixed. This is due to problems and issues way in the past. Unfortunately the sport of horse racing has always held this underlying trait, the prospect that we are cheated by underhand goings on, we are conned by people who are involved in the sport and we are misled by people who cannot help themselves but be greedy.


Cheating is a disgusting problem, it is still unproven whether John Higgins had anything to do with the allegations but immediate suspension from playing does not bode well for Higgins supporters. Horse racing of course has had its own conspiracies, Keiron Fallon immediately springs to mind, his illustrious career has on more than a few occasions been brought forefront in the media spotlight, and not always for good reasons. Again, there is nothing proven over Fallon's alleged fixing of races but unfortunately the sport is brought down a notch as in the case of snooker this week.


Of course this has happened in football, cricket, golf, everything, you name it. Where there is large amounts of money involved undoubtedly there will be corruption at some sort of level, or at least attempts to corrupt.


The terrible consequence this week for snooker is that people who may have been attracted through the efforts of players, promoters, media and the hard work and effort put in in the last few years in attempt to popularise snooker more and bring it to the wider audiences may have been in vain in one brief, ugly moment. This is a danger that faces the horse racing industry. Hopefully lessons will be learned, but the right ones.


On a lighter note we mustn't forget what all this is for, well done to the 'thunder from down under' Neil Robertson who last night celebrated his world championship victory over Graeme Dott at the Crucible

(Racing will be cast into same light as snooker of we are not careful)