It feels like a while since there was a match-fixing allegation or scandal in snooker. It’s odd how the mind plays tricks on you during lockdown.
Match-fixing has dogged the sport for decades. The latest controversy was when David John was found guilty in 2019 of fixing two matches and is still serving his ban until 21st December 2023. Six players including John were successfully prosecuted by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association for match-fixing in total. Four others served bans for not match-fixing itself but related charges, including John Higgins and Joe Jogia.
The suspension of one of the former professionals in one of the biggest scandals will come to an end very soon. Cao Yupeng is serving his 30-month suspension until 24th November 2020. His suspension started at the same time as compatriot and now-former professional Yu Delu. Yu is serving a ban of eight more years until he can choose to play snooker again.
What does the future hold for Cao?
Cao can qualify as a professional for next season if he chooses to play professional snooker. That is assuming he agrees to “provide significant assistance to the WPBSA in its anti-corruption work“.
Cao has the talent to return to the professional tour. Let’s not forget that Cao reached two ranking finals in the 2017-18 season. He should’ve won the 2017 Scottish Open but lost to Neil Robertson despite being 8-4 ahead. His highest ranking was No. 38 in the world. The other ranking final was in the 2018 Gibraltar Open, where he lost to an incredibly dominant Ryan Day 4-0.
Cao is also the third player from mainland China to make a professional maximum break. He famously reached the Last 16 of the 2012 World Championship by winning four qualifying matches and beating Mark Allen 10-6 in the first round of the Crucible.
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How does Cao Yupeng compare to the more serious cases?
Stephen Lee is the player hit hardest by the consequences of match-fixing. Lee received a 12-year ban until October 2024 for fixing matches on seven occasions, including in a World Championship match. It was described as “the worst case of snooker corruption we’ve seen“. Outstandingly, someone created a petition to reinstate, forgive and allow him play on the tour again. That petition is utterly ridiculous. Lee will be allowed to play once his suspension ends. Yet even then, I might feel uneasy seeing him play on tour again.
I have similar feelings for Yu Delu. Yu match-fixed on five separate occasions over two-and-a-half years. The tribunal described Yu as a “a scourge to the game of snooker … [who] engaged in deliberate and premeditated corruption to secure substantial financial gain for his friends/associates and himself.” I wouldn’t feel comfortable seeing him play either.
According to the same BBC article, Cao expressed sorrow for his actions and match-fixed three games in 2016 when he was under financial strain. He hadn’t match-fixed since that year.
Would fans accept Cao back into the ranks?
Cao would became the second player to return to the professional tour having been found guilty of match-fixing if he chooses.
But the question is whether Cao would feel the same response or respect if he returns to the Top 64. John Higgins felt a lot of ire when he returned to playing professional snooker. Even though he was found not guilty of match-fixing at all. I cannot say what his reputation is like in China though.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to Cao Yupeng possibly returning to the professional ranks?
In the last few months, Cao Yupeng has played in exhibitions in Lanzhou and Shenzhen, and been a regular commentator on matches broadcast in China. He looks to be playing well enough to be able to return to the professional tour after 3 years’ absence.
It is rather bizarre that there have been (many) campaigns supporting Stephen Lee, and yet it’s likely that Cao will be harshly judged. Essentially, as with anything in sport, it boils down to whether people are fans of a player or not. Generally Chinese players are not popular apart from Ding Junhui. And twitter is awash with (mostly simulated) anger.
Yu Delu was always a gambler. He’s the possibly only recent Chinese professional who was not an academy boy, but developed his game by playing money matches in Beijing snooker halls. He had something of a legendary reputation getting 147’s on club tables against businessmen offering ridiculous handicaps. Perhaps that’s what he’s doing now. It’s unlikely such a person can be rehabilitated.
But Cao’s situation was different – he was in a desperate financial situation (losers get £0 prizemoney, and was not entitled to work in the UK as some lower-ranked professionals do). He cracked, taking two £5k bungs, and the 3 years is much longer that an equivalent jail sentence. I guess if you believe in any kind of redemption, you’d be OK about Cao’s return.
Agreed with Cao. It seems that he was only doing it to stay afloat rather than greed and we saw how well he can play when he wasn’t hampered by financial constraints. If Cao returns to tour, I will look forward to it.
Good article! I was interested to read what was next regarding Yupeng. He was turning out to be a great player before this happened. I am wondering just upon regarding the article on the hate towards Lee and Ye De Lu, but not so much Yupeng? Not that I have any preference between the 3 players or their situations just a general question. I actually like Yupeng and Ye De Lu I in particular thought De Lu was quite under rated and a dangerous player at time. Again good article!
Thank you very much Darren, that’s very kind.