Snooker's Governing Body WPBSA Investigates Betting At Shanghai Masters Qualifiers

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association "is to launch a betting investigation into two Shanghai Masters qualifying matches" that were played in Doncaster, England Tuesday, according to Hector Nunns of the LONDON TIMES. Bookmakers "suspended betting for the contests" between Thailand's world No. 92 Passakorn Suwannawat and Egypt's Mohamed Khairy, and the one involving Thailand's world No. 75 Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon and Scotland's world No. 113 Ross Muir. Unusually large sums of money "were placed on Muir and Khairy to win" -- and both did. It "was Khairy's first professional victory." Aware of the speculation, the WPBSA "had switched the Thirapongpaiboon-Muir match to a TV table to allow post-match analysis." In a statement, the WPBSA said, "The WPBSA are liaising with the Gambling Commission to establish the available facts surrounding betting on these matches. A decision will then be made on any further action required" (THE TIMES, 8/7).