Snooker: MArk Allen fined for ‘Chinese cheats’ claim

Mark Allen has been given a suspended three-month ban and fined £10,000 for accusing Chinese players of cheating.

After his defeat at the Betfred.com World Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield on April 22, the 26-year-old first accused victor Cao Yupeng, then said cheating was a trait of Chinese players and named two others.

The disciplinary committee of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association found Allen in breach of rules which state: “Members shall, at all times behave in a proper and correct manner consistent with their status as professional sportsmen.

“Members shall not do anything which is likely to intimidate, offend, insult, humiliate or discriminate against any other person on the grounds of disability, their religion, race, colour or national or ethnic origin, sex or sexual orientation.

“A member shall not make or cause to be made any statement or commit or cause to be committed any act which in the reasonable view of the WPBSA is likely to bring into disrepute the game of snooker.”

In addition to his fine and suspended ban, the Northern Irishman, who had previously been fined £1,000 and warned as to his future conduct for comments he made about China and the Chinese people on twitter, was ordered to pay £1,000 towards the cost of the hearing.