China has become a global leader in snooker in the last decade. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association has been trying to help the sport in China. There are over 50 million snooker players in China, making it the largest snooker playing country in the world. But, China has yet to host a world champion. As the sport becomes more popular, it is anticipated that the number Chinese snooker player will rise rapidly.
Chinese snooker champions are revered in China. There are thousands of people who gather to watch the tournaments. They are treated as A-list celebrities, enjoy red carpet entries and receive champagne receptions. Younger players are becoming more popular as the sport gains popularity. Among the younger players are Tian Pengfei and Zhang Jiankang.
Another scandal rocked snooker despite China's dominance over the sport in the past decade. Former professional player Yu Delu was suspended on 1 December for match-fixing. Yu is currently on a 10-year ban. WPBSA are also investigating match-fixing allegations made for betting purposes.
While there are no bans for specific players, these suspensions cast a shadow upon the sport. Only 12 Chinese players are among the top 64 in the world. After Zhao Xintong's suspension and Li Hang's addition, the number of Chinese players in the top 64 has fallen to 11. Additionally, the CBSA is currently investigating allegations that Liang Wenbo and Lu Ning were involved with match-fixing.
Yan Bingtao (2021 Masters) is the biggest name in this investigation. He was due to participate in the next World Snooker Tour event. He was eliminated after he drew with Mark Williams in the first round. He was widely expected to be the first Chinese player in a world championship. However, his comments on the ongoing investigation have been limited.
Zhao Xintong from China has been removed from the World Snooker Tour. He was ranked no.1 in the world earlier in the season. He is widely regarded as one the most talented players in the sport. He is now being investigated as part a global probe into match fixing.
Other Chinese players that have been investigated include former world no. Liang Wenbo, who had been suspended in October, was also under investigation. Other Chinese players were also disciplined for cheating and abuse. This is only a fraction of the hundreds and millions of Chinese fans who have been following the sport.
However, the World Tour attracts a lot of Chinese players. The country is hosting more tournaments.
But, China still has a long way to travel before they can match the success of the UK. There are more tournaments in China, and more Chinese players are getting into professional snooker.
Zhao Xintong (currently) and Ding Junhui (currently), are the top-ranking Chinese players worldwide. Ding has been awarded many ranking titles, and he is well-known in China. Despite not having won a world championship, Ding has stated that he would like to win the World Championship.