SPORTS
Eight-time world snooker champion Pankaj Advani tells Chander Shekhar Luthra that ban on Stephen Lee, for involvement in match-fixing, is a right step to clean up the sport
Do you think that the Stephen Lee episode has opened Pandora’s Box and there could be other black sheep in the sport?
I am pretty sure there are characters and they try to take advantage of the system. I hope the stringent action taken against Lee will serve as a deterrent to all those youngsters who are taking up the game and could be tempted by big money proposals.
Have you ever been approached by anyone?
Not really, I have never been approached by anyone so far in my career. But these things happen in sport.
Do you believe that the system to check this menace is in place?
Sure, the World Professional Snooker Association has a separate anti-corruption unit to deal with such issues. Because of the fact that betting is legal in United Kingdom and in Europe, they keep a strict vigil on every betting site and the matches. They try and investigate anything which they find fishy, if anything unusual happens during the course of any tournament. Nothing escapes their investigation.
Does having a legal betting system help?
Look, help only comes from educating the youngsters. All these procedures will help securing the future generations. The more tough you come down on one generation is always going to make youngsters think hard about their future. I think you can hardly manage to fix exact scores. But if somebody wants to do something, there is always a way.
Are you sceptical about mixing with other players or officials during the course of tournaments?
I am a pretty outgoing person. That doesn’t mean that I’m friendly with every other fellow, but I do mix up and try to discuss the game with my fellow colleagues even when am playing league in UK. I can understand that one has to be careful when you are playing a game like snooker where huge money is involved at the professional sport.
There is zero tolerance about fixing in our game. It has happened on many occasions that when authorities found any betting pattern suspicious or huge betting on any particular match, all bets on that match were cancelled immediately. It’s sad that this has still been happening, but measures are being taken to curb this menace.
Do you feel the future is secure for the game?
It is sad that someone as accomplished as him (Lee) is associated with something like this. These are isolated incidents and I am sure that the action taken will in a way secure the future of the game.
Days after Jeet Adani-Diva Shah's marriage, Gautam Adani set to spend Rs 6000 crore on...
'Please let me stay the night:' Female trainee asked to leave Infosys premises at 6 pm even after...
Auto driver’s son studies at IIT, but luxury hotel refuses his auto's entry, billionaire calls it...
Who is Kuldeep Sharma? Ex-IPS gets three-month jail term in...
Meet woman, who lived in village, later got job at Amazon, now working in US as...
Beef Biryani Row Explained: Police file FIR day after incident at AMU; here's what happened
Meet Anant Ahuja, Sonam Kapoor's brother-in-law who reportedly got Rs 6.56 cr by USAID
BIG move by Mukesh Ambani, launches Rs 10 product with former cricket star, it is...
Car gets stuck in wheat field in the dead of night, know what Google Maps error caused later
The Chabahar Puzzle: India’s Connectivity Dreams in US-Iran Turmoil
Delhi: Girls showcase their skills, strength in netball, Aali and Lal Kuan emerge winners
Elon Musk reacts to UK MP’s demand to replace 'Bengali' signboard at London Station, check here
Anupam Mittal's unique gift to Gautam Adani's son Jeet Adani will leave you in splits
Man dies after being sexually assaulted in Delhi, one arrested, this is what happened
After Deepinder Goyal's Zomato, here is the list of Indian companies that recently rebranded
Life Insurance Quotes Explained: Guide to securing your family’s financial future
Winter Essentials: Must-have home appliances to keep you warm, cozy
'Ishq Na Kario' Releases: Abhishek Kumar takes his first step in cinema
Roadmap to building Rs 5 crore retirement corpus with NPS
Sri Lanka suffers nationwide power outage due to monkey, know what exactly happened
Fatima Sana Shaikh makes this BIG claim about male actors, says, 'If Shah Rukh Khan...'
The Visionary Behind Modern Data Platforms: Shreesha Hegde’s blueprint for industry success
Sam Nujoma passes away at 95: Know all about Namibia's fiery freedom fighter and first president
'Jahan Kaam, Wahan hum': PM Modi pitches leadership mantra to students during Pariksha Pe Charcha
Raheja Developer's 42-floor The Leela Sky Villas to bring ultra-luxury to Central West Delhi
Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't have any tattoos, reason will leave you SHOCKED, it is...
Prayagraj sees 300-km-long traffic jam, leave devotees without food, water amid Mahakumbh
Tirupati Laddu Prasadam row: CBI arrests four people in ghee adulteration case
JEE Mains 2025 Result: NTA JEE Session 1 result to be declared on..., know how to download scorecard
Donald Trump reveals BIG plan, says committed to 'buy and own' Gaza, allow others to...
Did Lionel Messi’s son Thiago score 11 goals in single match for Inter Miami? Here's the truth
India vs England: Rohit Sharma goes past Chris Gayle in all-time ODI list led by Shahid Afridi
Ed Sheeran BREAKS silence after Bengaluru cops stop his street performance: 'It wasn't just...'
India gains, Pakistan struggles: Forex reserves rise to Rs 55300044 crore, Pak's decline continues
IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma returns to form before Champions Trophy, slams 32nd ODI century vs England
'Mummy daantegi...': Little boy screams as tiger pulls his shirt at zoo, WATCH viral video
Manipur CM N Biren resigns nearly two years after ethnic violence in state
Viral Video: Women travel in train toilet to Maha Kumbh, internet says "Is this a joke?
Vicky Jain's 'bizarre' comment leaves wife Ankita fuming with anger, netizens declare him 'red flag'
Bengaluru cops stop Ed Sheeran's street performance, video goes viral - Watch
Viral video: Lion spotted on moving jeep? Here’s the truth
YouTuber Gaurav Taneja reveals he was 'shocked' over his wife's decision to...
Teddy Day 2025: Date, history and significance of the fourth day of Valentine’s week
'Sugar is the biggest toxin...': Naga Chaitanya calls sugar more toxic than alcohol and tobacco
‘Over for Blinkit, Zepto’, this startup claims ‘delivering humans’ in 10 minutes, shocks netizens
Pratik Gandhi on his struggles, managing job with acting: 'Chaar gante sona luxury tha' | Exclusive
Why did Kumar Vishwas' wife cry after Manish Sisodia lost Delhi Elections: 'Not always power...'
'Fast and Furious' cars collision creates a Rohit Shetty scene on Indian road, viral video
'Go to the room, cry...': Salman Khan's wisdom on love, breakup is all you need this Valentine's Day
Parvesh Verma, BJP leader who defeated Arvind Kejriwal, makes BIG claim, says, 'we have to do...'