It's time for a review of annual highs and lows, 2023
snooker (loanword)
There are many topics worth reviewing.
trough (as opposed peaks)
fake ball (in sports)
The sport has never suffered a scandal of this magnitude.
In 2023, for various infractions involving match-fixing, 10 Chinese players were
ineligibility
Former British Open champion Liang Wenbo and another well-known tour player, Li Hang, have been banned for life for their inexcusable roles in the betting ring.
Other notable players implicated include former Masters champion Yan Bintao and 2021 British champion Zhao Xintong.
The relative swiftness of the investigation and the availability of the results means that there will be no more damaging stories, at least for quite some time.
But it was by far the most obvious reminder that snooker is just as vulnerable to fraud as any other sport, and the battle against match-fixing and cheating continues.
Scoring and scheduling:
At the end of last season, the World Snooker Tour committed to a brand new database of live scores, fixtures and statistics. The original plan was to launch this in time for the 2023/24 season, but due to a number of delays we are still waiting for this system to be rolled out.
Interim systems to fill in the gaps often fail, provide inaccurate information, or are simply not updated in a timely manner.
Why an institution organizing a major campaign would terminate a contract with one vendor and not be prepared to work with another is anyone's guess. However, the continued failure is certainly frustrating.
There is a growing belief that when the new database finally launches sometime in the new year, it will be something incredible.
I'll believe it when I see it with my own eyes.
Macau Five-O:
In October, a major news story involved five players allegedly violating their player contracts.
The reason was that they agreed to play in an unsanctioned invitational tournament on the same day as the Northern Ireland Open, which was held in Macau.
World champion Luca Brecher, former Crucible kings Mark Selby and John Higgins, and former ranking champions Ali Carter and Tepchaiah Ennu were among the culprits.
There have been some flippant comments from both sides, including WST (World Snooker Tour) supremo Barry Hearn, who claimed the players could be fined or even banned.
Full-blown conflict was averted when the Macau organizers decided to postpone their event until December, but simmering tensions remain.
While there is still a long way to go before Chinese players revolt and separate the tour, there are rumors that this could happen.
Tour Championship:
One of the most prestigious events on the calendar, this year's Tour Championship made an unforgettable impression, even if the results weren't quite what they could have been.
Shaun Murphy put in a great performance to take the title for the first time and the lucrative £150,000 winner's purse.
However, unfortunately almost no one saw him perform.
The World Snooker Tour sometimes gets a negative rap, but it should also be noted that they do some things very well.
However, finding suitable venues and promoting tournaments properly may not be their strong suit, as highlighted by the low popularity of the Tour Championship prize money arena.
Outsiders tend to think that not much thought goes into choosing a venue.
While this may not be entirely true, it is clear that more needs to be done in this area.
