World Champion John Higgins denies snooker match-fixing claims

WORLD champion snooker player John Higgins today said he had done nothing to bring the game into disrepute after a newspaper report claimed he had agreed to accept £261,000 to arrange the outcome of frames in matches.

• John Higgins today denied claims he had agreed to take money to fix matches

The Wishaw-born player has been suspended by the game's ruling body pending an inquiries into claims he had agreed to a match-fixing deal with a group of newspaper reporters posing as businessmen in Kiev, Ukraine.

"I would never do anything to damage the sport what I love," the 34-year-old said in a statement released this afternoon.

He added: "At the outset can I say that I've never been involved in any form of snooker match-fixing.

"In my 18 years of playing professional snooker I have never deliberately missed a shot, never mind intentionally missed a frame or a match."

Higgins said he was "spooked" and "just wanted to get out of the hotel and on the plane home" when he met with undercover reporters posing as businessmen in Kiev, Ukraine.

"In all honesty, I became very worried about the way the conversation developed in Kiev," he added.

"I didn't know if this was the Russian Mafia or who we were dealing with. At that stage I felt the best course of action was just to play along with these guys and get out of Russia (sic).

"Those who know me are aware of my love for snooker and that I would never do anything to damage the integrity of the sport I love. My conscience is 100% clear."

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn said earlier he had never felt so "let down" by the revelations.

Mr Hearn said: "I don't think I've ever felt so let down or kicked. We're working so hard on revitalising the game and there are lots of people pulling in the right direction."