Following on from the John Higgins/Pat Mooney story (see my previous article), WPBSA chairman Barry Hearn has spoken to BBC Radio Five about the matter. Click below to listen to his interview and read some quotes:
You can listen to the interview by clicking here on the BBC website:
“I’m absolutely mortified by it [the story]. I’ve known John Higgins for a long long time.
“Pat Mooney is a co-director of the WPBSA, the governing body of snooker, and it’s come as just a huge shock and obviously an enormous blow to the integrity of the sport which is vital as everyone knows for the expansion plans we have.
“So it’s really been a shattering experience at this moment in time and one that will be obviously immediately looked into by our disciplinary people under the WPBSA rules.”
“I want to meet with the players on Wednesday anyway to discuss it. And this is now top of the agenda”
And there are further quotes here at ESPN:
“I’ve read the piece, I’ve seen the video, I would imagine I can’t see any reason not to suspend him at this moment in time,”
“We’ll make a decision within the next 24 hours on how we’re going to play it.
“I don’t see any place in sport, in any sport, for anyone who affects the credibility or the integrity of any sport. I’m not going to make knee-jerk reactions on this. I’m absolutely mortified because I know both these guys.”
As a side note it would also appear that Pat Mooney has now resigned from the WPBSA board.