China has been a rising force in the world of Snooker for the past ten years. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) has worked to promote snooker in China. China has more than 50 million players of snooker, making it one of the top snooker countries in the world. But, China has yet to host a world champion. As the sport grows more popular, it is predicted that Chinese snooker athletes will increase in number.
Chinese snooker players have been hailed as icons of their country. Thousands of fans gather to watch tournaments. They are treated like A-list celebrities, receive champagne receptions and red carpet entry. The sport is becoming more popular and more players are coming up. Tian pengfei as well as Zhang Jiankang are some of the younger players.
Despite the fact that China has become the dominant force in snooker in the past decade, the sport has been hit by another scandal. Former professional player Yu Delu was suspended on 1 December for match-fixing. Yu is currently in a 10-year suspension. WPBSA are also investigating match-fixing allegations made for betting purposes.
While no specific players have been banned, the suspensions cast a shadow over the sport. There are 12 Chinese players among the 64 top-ranked athletes in the world. After Zhao Xintong, Li Hang and Li Hang were added on to the suspension list, that number has been reduced by 11. The CBSA is also investigating claims that Chang Bingyu, Lu Ning, and Liang Wenbo were involved in match-fixing.
However, the biggest name in the investigation so far is Yan Bingtao, who is the 2021 Masters champion. He was to take part in a World Snooker Tour tournament next month. After being drawn against Mark Williams, he was disqualified. Although he was tipped to be the first Chinese player to win a world championship, his comment on the ongoing investigation has been limited.
Zhao Xintong (a Chinese player) has been expelled from the World Snooker Tour. He was the world's number one player earlier this season. 1 player, and is regarded as one of the best in the sport. In a global investigation into match-fixing, he now faces criminal charges.
Another Chinese player that has been investigated is the former world no. 11 Liang Wenbo, who was suspended in October. Other Chinese players were also disciplined for cheating and abuse. These are just a handful of players in China, compared with the many millions of fans who follow the sport.
However, the World Tour attracts a lot of Chinese players. More tournaments are held in China.
However, the country still has a long road ahead of it to be as successful in snooker as the UK. With more tournaments being staged, more young Chinese players are making their way onto the professional snooker scene.
Zhao Xintong & Ding Junihui are currently China's top two players. Ding has been awarded many ranking titles, and he is well-known in China. Ding expressed his desire to win the World Championship, even though he did not win a championship.