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Fixer Hann banned
By John Dee
(Filed: 18/02/2006)

Quinten Hann has received an eight-year ban following a World Snooker disciplinary hearing in Bristol yesterday.

He had been found guilty of agreeing to help to fix results of certain matches at the China Open last year.

Hann, 26, from Melbourne, was also ordered to pay the cost of the hearing, estimated at £10,000. But he resigned his professional membership last month, and World Snooker is unlikely to obtain the costs from him.

Hann, ranked 22 in the world and a member of the top 16 for three seasons, was Australia's top professional though he had a chequered professional career.

He lost his prize money and ranking points at the 2000 Grand Prix for unprofessional conduct in breaking up the reds off the bottom cushion following the break-off.

He once played without a shoe on one foot having sustained injuries in a parachute jump that went wrong. He was also injured during a superbike race in Australia.

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Guilty Hann given eight-year ban

Quinten Hann has been found guilty of breaking rules governing match-fixing and handed an eight-year snooker ban.

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association acted after Hann met undercover journalists in 2005.

A disciplinary panel decided that he had "knowingly entered in an agreement to join in an unlawful enterprise to fix results for financial gain."

Hann, who on Tuesday retired from snooker, had denied the charge in a letter, but was also fined £10,000.

The story that sparked the investigation, published in The Sun newspaper last year, alleged that Hann had agreed to lose a game at the China Open in return for money.

The panel was shown transcripts and video and audio footage of the meetings which took place between Hann and the journalists in March and April 2005.

Hann had informed panel members in advance that he would not be attending Friday's hearing.

The newspaper did not go through with any agreement with Hann, but just by agreeing to lose, he was in breach of rule 2.8.

That states "a member shall not directly or indirectly solicit, attempt to solicit or accept any payment or any form of remuneration of benefit in exchange for influencing the outcome of any game of snooker or billiards."

The playing ban is purely academic following the Australian's decision to quit the sport on Tuesday.

It marks an undignified end to the career of a player of undoubted talent who has been dogged by disciplinary problems both inside and outside the playing arena.

He freely admitted turning up to play at the 2005 World Championships with a hangover, was happy to admit he did not practice and challenged Andy Hicks to a fight after their 2004 game at the Crucible.