Snooker player banned over betting breach

English professional snooker player Alfie Burden has been handed a suspended six-month ban after he was found to have wagered £25,000 (€29,400/$30,700) on matches. Burden made 86 accumulator-style bets between 2006 and 2016 on matches including his own, losing £2,995 in the process. The ban, which is suspended for one year, will become active if further breaches occur before January 1, 2018, while Burden has also been ordered to pay a fine of £5,000. Jason Ferguson, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, said: “It is a key part of any sports integrity strategy that players cannot bet on their sport. “Alfie Burden put his career at risk by so doing and it is only through his full admissions and his cooperation with the Disciplinary Committee that he has avoided a career ending suspension.” Related article: Sportradar signs integrity agreement with WPBSA