Newly-crowned World Snooker Championship winner Zhao Xintong remains banned from playing in his home country of China due to his involvement in the sport’s biggest match-fixing scandal. The 28-year-old became the first Asian player to become world champion after defeating Mark Williams 18-12 on Monday.
While announcing himself as one of the new stars in snooker, Zhao won’t be able to showcase his newfound stardom back in China as he remains forbidden from competing. It was in 2023 when the snooker star was banned from the sport alongside nine other Chinese players for their involvement in the scandal. However, after an investigation found he had not personally fixed matches, he was handed a ban of 30 months, which was reduced to 20 months due to Zhao pleading guilty.
He ended up accepting the charges of being party to a fellow player fixing two matches while he himself had bet on matches. Despite his global ban ending in September 2024, which saw Zhao begin competing on the Q Tour, the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association (CBSA) announced they had slapped the player with a domestic ban of 30 months – the original punishment before it was reduced.
With the CBSA’s ban running until July 1, 2025, the world champion remains prohibited from taking part in events in his home country. At the time of his return last year, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) confirmed Zhao’s ongoing ban will only be confined to events held in China.
“The Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association has now confirmed that their sanction only applies to mainland China and that Zhao Xintong is permitted to play in events outside of China from the end of his WPBSA suspension,” the statement said. “Zhao will have served the suspension imposed by the Independent Disciplinary Commission by 1st September 2024, and he has paid his costs order. This means that he is eligible to play in WPBSA-governed events from 2nd September 2024.”
Following his victory over Williams, the legendary Welshman didn’t hesitate in praising his opponent and admitting Zhao’s triumph could send shockwaves throughout the snooker world. “Zhao winning it could be huge for the sport,” the 50-year-old said. “It could end up opening floodgates everywhere.
“I’ve got nothing but admiration for him, to do what he’s done. He’s been out for two years, bashed everyone up in qualifying and come here and bashed everyone up in the main tournament. It’s an unbelievable achievement. There’s not enough good words to say about him. Everyone has got to get behind him and just watch him.
“He could dominate or at least give [Judd] Trump and Kyren [Wilson] a go. Snooker needed someone like him to come through, like what happened with Luke Littler in darts. His style is so effortless and his cue power.”