September 10th 2024.
After a tumultuous year, snooker fans can expect to see Zhao Xintong back in action on the baize this month. The 27-year-old is making his return to the sport following a ban for his involvement in a serious match-fixing scandal. However, for now, Zhao will only be competing on the amateur circuit.
Last June, 10 players were hit with bans, with Zhao receiving the shortest punishment which ended on September 1, 2024. The former UK Championship and German Masters champion was found guilty of being party to another player fixing two matches and betting on snooker matches himself.
With his ban now over, Zhao is set to compete in the upcoming Q Tour event in Sofia, Bulgaria, from September 20-22. The Q Tour is a series of amateur tournaments, with the top-ranked player from the seven events earning a spot on the professional circuit. There is also a Q Tour Global Playoff at the end of the season, where top performers have a chance to secure a place on the World Snooker Tour.
The first Q Tour event was held in Leeds last month, with Estonia's Andres Petrov taking home the title. Next up is the tournament in Bulgaria, followed by competitions in Sweden, Manchester, Austria, Switzerland, and Landywood. Zhao will be aiming to perform well in these events in order to secure his spot on the World Snooker Tour for the next two years.
Interestingly, Zhao is already a former champion, having won the UK Championship in 2021. His first match back in the sport will be against Lithuania's Vilius Schulte-Ebbert on Friday, September 20, at 11 am UK time.
The Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association took the step of extending the bans for the guilty players, with Zhao's ban being extended until July 2025. However, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) has clarified that this only applies to mainland 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," stated the WPBSA.
"Zhao will have served the suspension imposed by the Independent Disciplinary Commission by September 1, 2024, and has paid his costs order. This means that he is eligible to play in WPBSA-governed events from September 2, 2024."
Zhao was not the only high-profile player to be banned as a result of the match-fixing scandal. Yan Bingtao, who won the Masters in 2021, was also suspended. However, his ban will not expire until December 11, 2027. The other players involved, Chang Bingyu, Liang Wenbo, and Li Hang, were also handed bans, with only Chang's set to end before 2024.
WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson believes that Zhao has the talent and potential to make a comeback in the sport. "He's young enough and talented enough to make a comeback in the sport," he told Metro. "We also recognize that he got caught up in something in which he was perhaps not one of the main perpetrators."
Four-time world champion John Higgins is also optimistic about Zhao's return to the professional ranks, stating, "He's served his time now. He's a great young talent for the game. He looked as if he was going to be one of the top players in the world. I've heard he's still been practicing really hard, and I'm sure he will fit back in seamlessly. He's too talented not to get back on the tour."
As Zhao makes his comeback to the sport he loves, fans will be watching closely to see how he performs and if he can secure his spot on the World Snooker Tour once again.
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