John Sutton suspended as WPBSA launches suspicious betting probe
Last Updated: 09/02/15 9:21pm
Amateur snooker player John Sutton has been suspended from competition pending the outcome of a hearing into suspicious betting patterns.
Suspicions were aroused during a match between Irishman Sutton and Jamie Burnett at the International Championship in Barnsley last September.
Nigel Mawer, the chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association disciplinary committee, launched an investigation supported by the International Centre for Sport Security and the Gambling Commission and has decided there is a case for Sutton to answer.
The case will be heard at a formal hearing of the WPBSA disciplinary committee on a date and at a venue to be confirmed.
WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson said: "John Sutton is not a WPBSA member or current tour card holder. He is an amateur player who gained access to some events through our open qualifying structure.
"He was bound by the WPBSA rules as a condition of accepting his invitation to play in this event.
"Under our policy for the global governance of the sport, we treat any potential breach of our betting rules very seriously and I have taken the decision to suspend John Sutton from competition.
"This suspension will remain in place until the conclusion of the hearing or hearings and the determination of this matter."
Stephen Lee was banned from snooker for 12 years after being found guilty of match-fixing in 2013.
