Blackwell handed 18-month suspension from snooker

Simon Blackwell has been hit with an 18-month suspension from snooker after being found guilty of an attempt to fix the outcome of a match, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said.

The 29-year-old, who was playing under amateur status, was competing in the EPSB Open Series – where the carrot for a top-four finish would have been a place at Q School – when he approached another player and offered £200 to ensure he won the two frames he required to guarantee a spot in the top four.

The player approached by Blackwell did not take up the offer and reported it to WPBSA officials.

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Blackwell was handed an immediate suspension by WPBSA chief Jason Ferguson, pending a disciplinary hearing.

At the hearing, Blackwell was found in breach of three WPBSA rules:

  • 2.1.2.1 to fix or contrive, or to be a party to any effort to fix or contrive, the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.2 to seek or accept or offer or agree to accept any bribe or other reward to fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.4 to solicit, induce, entice, persuade, encourage or facilitate any Member to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 2.1.2.
The panel handed down an 18-month suspension “from playing or being involved in all snooker events for a period of 18 months effective from 14 April 2022 (the date of his suspension by the chairman of the WPBSA) until 23.59 on 15 October 2023.”

Blackwell was also ordered to pay costs of £1,400.

WST confirmed Blackwell has until May 27 to lodge an appeal.

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Blackwell handed 18-month suspension from snooker

Simon Blackwell has been hit with an 18-month suspension from snooker after being found guilty of an attempt to fix the outcome of a match, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said.

The 29-year-old, who was playing under amateur status, was competing in the EPSB Open Series – where the carrot for a top-four finish would have been a place at Q School – when he approached another player and offered £200 to ensure he won the two frames he required to guarantee a spot in the top four.

The player approached by Blackwell did not take up the offer and reported it to WPBSA officials.

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13/05/2022 AT 11:44

Blackwell was handed an immediate suspension by WPBSA chief Jason Ferguson, pending a disciplinary hearing.

At the hearing, Blackwell was found in breach of three WPBSA rules:

  • 2.1.2.1 to fix or contrive, or to be a party to any effort to fix or contrive, the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.2 to seek or accept or offer or agree to accept any bribe or other reward to fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.4 to solicit, induce, entice, persuade, encourage or facilitate any Member to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 2.1.2.
The panel handed down an 18-month suspension “from playing or being involved in all snooker events for a period of 18 months effective from 14 April 2022 (the date of his suspension by the chairman of the WPBSA) until 23.59 on 15 October 2023.”

Blackwell was also ordered to pay costs of £1,400.

WST confirmed Blackwell has until May 27 to lodge an appeal.

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Blackwell handed 18-month suspension from snooker

Simon Blackwell has been hit with an 18-month suspension from snooker after being found guilty of an attempt to fix the outcome of a match, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said.

The 29-year-old, who was playing under amateur status, was competing in the EPSB Open Series – where the carrot for a top-four finish would have been a place at Q School – when he approached another player and offered £200 to ensure he won the two frames he required to guarantee a spot in the top four.

The player approached by Blackwell did not take up the offer and reported it to WPBSA officials.

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Blackwell was handed an immediate suspension by WPBSA chief Jason Ferguson, pending a disciplinary hearing.

At the hearing, Blackwell was found in breach of three WPBSA rules:

  • 2.1.2.1 to fix or contrive, or to be a party to any effort to fix or contrive, the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.2 to seek or accept or offer or agree to accept any bribe or other reward to fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.4 to solicit, induce, entice, persuade, encourage or facilitate any Member to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 2.1.2.
The panel handed down an 18-month suspension “from playing or being involved in all snooker events for a period of 18 months effective from 14 April 2022 (the date of his suspension by the chairman of the WPBSA) until 23.59 on 15 October 2023.”

Blackwell was also ordered to pay costs of £1,400.

WST confirmed Blackwell has until May 27 to lodge an appeal.

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Blackwell handed 18-month suspension from snooker

Simon Blackwell has been hit with an 18-month suspension from snooker after being found guilty of an attempt to fix the outcome of a match, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said.

The 29-year-old, who was playing under amateur status, was competing in the EPSB Open Series – where the carrot for a top-four finish would have been a place at Q School – when he approached another player and offered £200 to ensure he won the two frames he required to guarantee a spot in the top four.

The player approached by Blackwell did not take up the offer and reported it to WPBSA officials.

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Blackwell was handed an immediate suspension by WPBSA chief Jason Ferguson, pending a disciplinary hearing.

At the hearing, Blackwell was found in breach of three WPBSA rules:

  • 2.1.2.1 to fix or contrive, or to be a party to any effort to fix or contrive, the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.2 to seek or accept or offer or agree to accept any bribe or other reward to fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.4 to solicit, induce, entice, persuade, encourage or facilitate any Member to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 2.1.2.
The panel handed down an 18-month suspension “from playing or being involved in all snooker events for a period of 18 months effective from 14 April 2022 (the date of his suspension by the chairman of the WPBSA) until 23.59 on 15 October 2023.”

Blackwell was also ordered to pay costs of £1,400.

WST confirmed Blackwell has until May 27 to lodge an appeal.

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Blackwell handed 18-month suspension from snooker

Simon Blackwell has been hit with an 18-month suspension from snooker after being found guilty of an attempt to fix the outcome of a match, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said.

The 29-year-old, who was playing under amateur status, was competing in the EPSB Open Series – where the carrot for a top-four finish would have been a place at Q School – when he approached another player and offered £200 to ensure he won the two frames he required to guarantee a spot in the top four.

The player approached by Blackwell did not take up the offer and reported it to WPBSA officials.

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Blackwell was handed an immediate suspension by WPBSA chief Jason Ferguson, pending a disciplinary hearing.

At the hearing, Blackwell was found in breach of three WPBSA rules:

  • 2.1.2.1 to fix or contrive, or to be a party to any effort to fix or contrive, the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.2 to seek or accept or offer or agree to accept any bribe or other reward to fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.4 to solicit, induce, entice, persuade, encourage or facilitate any Member to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 2.1.2.
The panel handed down an 18-month suspension “from playing or being involved in all snooker events for a period of 18 months effective from 14 April 2022 (the date of his suspension by the chairman of the WPBSA) until 23.59 on 15 October 2023.”

Blackwell was also ordered to pay costs of £1,400.

WST confirmed Blackwell has until May 27 to lodge an appeal.

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Blackwell handed 18-month suspension from snooker

Simon Blackwell has been hit with an 18-month suspension from snooker after being found guilty of an attempt to fix the outcome of a match, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said.

The 29-year-old, who was playing under amateur status, was competing in the EPSB Open Series – where the carrot for a top-four finish would have been a place at Q School – when he approached another player and offered £200 to ensure he won the two frames he required to guarantee a spot in the top four.

The player approached by Blackwell did not take up the offer and reported it to WPBSA officials.

World Championship

Key dates and schedule for 2022-23 snooker season as O’Sullivan defends world crown

YESTERDAY AT 11:44

Blackwell was handed an immediate suspension by WPBSA chief Jason Ferguson, pending a disciplinary hearing.

At the hearing, Blackwell was found in breach of three WPBSA rules:

  • 2.1.2.1 to fix or contrive, or to be a party to any effort to fix or contrive, the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.2 to seek or accept or offer or agree to accept any bribe or other reward to fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match;
  • 2.1.2.4 to solicit, induce, entice, persuade, encourage or facilitate any Member to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 2.1.2.
The panel handed down an 18-month suspension “from playing or being involved in all snooker events for a period of 18 months effective from 14 April 2022 (the date of his suspension by the chairman of the WPBSA) until 23.59 on 15 October 2023.”

Blackwell was also ordered to pay costs of £1,400.

WST confirmed Blackwell has until May 27 to lodge an appeal.

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'It should be great' – O'Sullivan to play Singapore exhibition matches in June

Ronnie O’Sullivan is going to Singapore from June 11-18 to play some exhibition matches and to check in on the Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy.

O’Sullivan also confirmed that he will look to assist with coaching at his academy.

“Looking forward to going over to Singapore in June, it should be great,” the seven-time world champion said according to the Metro.

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“The academy looks fantastic out there, I’m excited to get out there and spend some time there, see what they’re up to.

“I’ll work out some coaching plans and developing snooker in Asia is going to be a really fun thing to do.”

O’Sullivan’s academy opened at the end of 2021. He said ahead of it opening he was excited about the potential scale of the venture.

“We have already got the facilities. It’s a 16,000-square feet space,” he told The Sun last year.

“We are putting tables in there. We will have some professional coaches. We hope to roll it out all over Asia.

“Ronnie O’Sullivan snooker academies with the long-term view to try and create an amateur scene.

“Over there they are much more supportive of their amateurs and juniors and get excited over that. It is something I think will work.

“While snooker gives me the platform to do projects like that, sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture.”

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O’Sullivan hopes to one day be able to unearth a world champion in Asia.

He added: “The idea is to get the first one right, get it successful and then once that is going well, it will be easier to roll out the rest of them.

“China definitely is a massive part of the plan but the first one will start out in Singapore.

“The good ones that come through the academy we would like to support them, to try and get their main Tour Card and become professional players.

“Hopefully one day become a world champion.”

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'It should be great' – O'Sullivan to play Singapore exhibition matches in June

Ronnie O’Sullivan is going to Singapore from June 11-18 to play some exhibition matches and to check in on the Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy.

O’Sullivan also confirmed that he will look to assist with coaching at his academy.

“Looking forward to going over to Singapore in June, it should be great,” the seven-time world champion said according to the Metro.

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“The academy looks fantastic out there, I’m excited to get out there and spend some time there, see what they’re up to.

“I’ll work out some coaching plans and developing snooker in Asia is going to be a really fun thing to do.”

O’Sullivan’s academy opened at the end of 2021. He said ahead of it opening he was excited about the potential scale of the venture.

“We have already got the facilities. It’s a 16,000-square feet space,” he told The Sun last year.

“We are putting tables in there. We will have some professional coaches. We hope to roll it out all over Asia.

“Ronnie O’Sullivan snooker academies with the long-term view to try and create an amateur scene.

“Over there they are much more supportive of their amateurs and juniors and get excited over that. It is something I think will work.

“While snooker gives me the platform to do projects like that, sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture.”

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O’Sullivan hopes to one day be able to unearth a world champion in Asia.

He added: “The idea is to get the first one right, get it successful and then once that is going well, it will be easier to roll out the rest of them.

“China definitely is a massive part of the plan but the first one will start out in Singapore.

“The good ones that come through the academy we would like to support them, to try and get their main Tour Card and become professional players.

“Hopefully one day become a world champion.”

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'It should be great' – O'Sullivan to play Singapore exhibition matches in June

Ronnie O’Sullivan is going to Singapore from June 11-18 to play some exhibition matches and to check in on the Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy.

O’Sullivan also confirmed that he will look to assist with coaching at his academy.

“Looking forward to going over to Singapore in June, it should be great,” the seven-time world champion said according to the Metro.

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“The academy looks fantastic out there, I’m excited to get out there and spend some time there, see what they’re up to.

“I’ll work out some coaching plans and developing snooker in Asia is going to be a really fun thing to do.”

O’Sullivan’s academy opened at the end of 2021. He said ahead of it opening he was excited about the potential scale of the venture.

“We have already got the facilities. It’s a 16,000-square feet space,” he told The Sun last year.

“We are putting tables in there. We will have some professional coaches. We hope to roll it out all over Asia.

“Ronnie O’Sullivan snooker academies with the long-term view to try and create an amateur scene.

“Over there they are much more supportive of their amateurs and juniors and get excited over that. It is something I think will work.

“While snooker gives me the platform to do projects like that, sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture.”

‘How did he get the cue ball there?’ – World Championship top shots featuring Trump and O’Sullivan

O’Sullivan hopes to one day be able to unearth a world champion in Asia.

He added: “The idea is to get the first one right, get it successful and then once that is going well, it will be easier to roll out the rest of them.

“China definitely is a massive part of the plan but the first one will start out in Singapore.

“The good ones that come through the academy we would like to support them, to try and get their main Tour Card and become professional players.

“Hopefully one day become a world champion.”

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'You don't fall off radar overnight' – O'Sullivan reveals plans for eighth world title bid

Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed how his record-equalling seventh world title triumph has given him hope of having at least another five years to win an eighth at the Crucible.

The 39-time ranking event winner defeated 2019 champion Judd Trump 18-13 in a historic 46th World Championship final last Monday to match Stephen Hendry’s haul from the 1990s.

O’Sullivan enjoyed a remarkable 15 centuries and 46 breaks over 50 to emulate his achievement of lifting the sport’s biggest tournament in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2020 in Sheffield.

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He will also start the season as world No. 1 – an astonishing 20 years after first topping the sport’s ranking list.
“I’m 46 banging on 47 so to know I can still win it lets me know I could have another five decent years,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport.

I don’t think you can go from winning the World Championship to falling off the radar overnight. It is just a nice little confidence booster really.

“It is such a long tournament. It is a bit like the Grand Slams in tennis when they play five sets rather than just the three.

“It is more about lasting the event more than anything. A lot of players reach the quarter-finals and by then they think they’ve run their course.

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“Whereas the top players are better conditioned, have been over the course and know how to pace themselves.

“The World Championship is similar to that. You make the semi-finals and once you get to that point you are still only halfway through so you want to leave a bit in the tank.

“That just comes with experience and knowing what it takes to get over the line.”

When asked in the immediate aftermath of the final about matching Hendry’s 23-year record set in 1999, O’Sullivan smiled: “We can share it for a year.

“I tried to be as relaxed as I could, but that is probably the greatest result I’ve had against somebody like Judd.

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“I’ve never bothered about records. When you get them, it’s kind of nice. I don’t have targets. I’ve loved every tournament this year, I’ve just loved playing.

“I like to win, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. The Crucible brings out the worst in me. It’s probably not the best idea but we’ll probably go again next year.”

Crucible World Snooker Champions

  • Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng) 7 – 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020, 2022
  • Stephen Hendry (Sco) 7 – 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999
  • Steve Davis (Eng) 6 – 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989
  • Ray Reardon (Wal) 6 – 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978
  • Mark Selby (Eng) 4 – 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021
  • John Higgins (Sco) 4 – 1998, 2007, 2009, 2011
  • Mark Williams (Wal) 3 – 2000, 2003, 2018
  • John Spencer (Eng) 3 – 1969, 1971, 1977
  • Alex Higgins (NIre) 2 – 1972, 1982
  • Judd Trump (Eng) 1 – 2019
  • Stuart Bingham (Eng) 1 – 2015
  • Neil Robertson (Aus) 1 – 2010
  • Graeme Dott (Sco) 1 – 2005
  • Peter Ebdon (Eng) 1 – 2002
  • Ken Doherty (Ire) 1 – 1997
  • John Parrott (Eng) 1 – 1991
  • Joe Johnson (Eng) 1 – 1986
  • Dennis Taylor (NIre) 1 – 1985
  • Cliff Thorburn (Can) 1 – 1980
  • Terry Griffiths (Wal) 1 – 1979

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