I was guilty of being naive only – Higgins

John Higgins stressed the most he had been guilty of was naivety after accepting the six-month ban and £75,000 fine meted out to him on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old Scot, who was suspended in May pending an investigation into allegations of frame-throwing made by the News of the World, admitted breaching rules around betting at the two-day London hearing overseen by independent body Sport Resolutions.

He admitted “intentionally giving the impression to others that they were agreeing to act in breach of the betting rules” and failing to report the matter promptly to the governing body, World Snooker.

However, the charges of “agreeing or offering” to accept bribes and “agreeing to engage in corrupt or fraudulent conduct” were dropped.

Speaking outside the hearing, Higgins said he was pleased he was found not guilty of any dishonesty and “had no intention to fix a match and no intention to do anything corrupt”.

Higgins continued: “The statement I made in May immediately after the newspaper accusations was 100 per cent true then and they are 100 per cent true today. I have never been involved in any form of snooker match-fixing.

“In my 18 years playing professional snooker, I’ve never deliberately missed a shot, never intentionally lost a frame or a match. I am glad the WPBSA’s view of the events in Kiev reflects that statement.

“If I am guilty of anything, it is naivety and trusting those who I believed were working in the best interests of snooker and myself.

“I accept I should have informed the WPBSA officials about the events in Kiev immediately on my return to the UK. I accept the decision to suspend me for six months and impose a fine of £75,000.

“This has been a traumatic time for me and those closest to me. It has been made all the more hurtful by the knowledge that I never have and never would fix a snooker match.”

Shanghai Masters: Second round – Burnett bt Higginson 5-0; Carter bt Bingham 5-3; Dott bt Williams 5-4; Davis bt Maguire 5-3.