Iran’s Hossein Vafaei has become the second player drafted in as a replacement for this weekend’s Masters as a match-fixing probe continues to rock snooker.
There are 10 Chinese players currently suspended from the tour due to a corruption investigation - including world No.9 and former UK winner Zhao Xintong and 2021 Masters champion Yan Bingtao. Both Zhao, 25, one of the two most recently sidelined, and the 22-year-old Yan had been due to play in the prestigious invitation tournament at Alexandra Palace reserved for the top 16 players.
World No.16 Yan saw his place go to David Gilbert, who was ranked No.17 at the cut-off qualification point at the end of the UK Championship in November. And now rising star Zhao, also the reigning German Masters champion, who had been due to play Mark Selby on Sunday night, has seen his place go to former Shootout winner Vafaei, who was ranked No.18.
