Snooker match fixing: Higgins claims innocence

London, May 10 (ANI): Snooker champion John Higgins has claimed innocence against allegations that he agreed to fix a match.

Describing the past few days as "emotionally draining for me and my family," Higgins said: "In the last week I have experienced a whole range of emotions: despair, frustration, anger, rage and, most of all, a sense of betrayal."

Undercover reporters, who have accused him of agreeing to fix a match, filmed Higgins.

The Scotsman quoted him, as saying that he believed the meeting with the journalists was to arrange a series of tournaments in the Ukraine.

Yesterday the News of the World also alleged that he had tried to bet against himself in last year's World Championship final.

Higgins said: "Over the last three years I spent a lot of my time and effort to expand snooker into new territories. I wanted to take the magic of snooker to towns, cities and countries where people had only ever seen snooker on television. I wanted to act as an ambassador to spread that magic of snooker throughout the world. Despite the events of last week, it is something I believe in from the bottom of my heart."

The three-times world champion is subject to disciplinary proceedings by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association over the allegations. (ANI)