9.3.09

BACK AT THE CRUCIBLE...BUT UNDER A CLOUD

Jamie Burnett’s first appearance at the Crucible since his debut in 1996 – equalling Barry Pinches’s record of 13 years between appearances – will undoubtedly be overshadowed by the thus far unresolved official investigation into the unusual betting patterns surrounding his 9-3 defeat to Stephen Maguire in last December’s UK Championship.

Jamie himself knows this because he says it is all anyone has wanted to talk to him about these last three months.

But he insists he does not have a case to answer.

“As far as the investigation is going, I don’t have any comment to make but it’s hard not to think about it because everyone wants to talk about it and it’s the last thing I want to talk about,” Burnett said.

“As far as I’m concerned it was a snooker match and I lost and that’s the end of it.

“When I’m playing snooker I’m fine, I don’t think about it, but off the table that’s all people want to talk about.

“It’s getting to be a pain in the backside but I don’t see it as my problem.

“I don’t have anything to answer for because I haven’t done anything. World Snooker can investigate it all they like. As I said at the time, if they want to speak to me they know where I am. It’s down to them.”

Some would argue the investigation should be conducted at a faster pace but I would disagree.

There should be no rush to judgement in such a serious case. As I understand it, the tapes are being studied and Burnett will be asked to give a full explanation of what happened.

This will not occur until after the World Championship so he will, rightly or wrongly, remain under a cloud during the Crucible event.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

He should also be punished for being the worst actor ever. (He'll be out in the first round anyway, so who cares.)

Still, it's a really sad result for the game that Fatso McFlimFlam got through to the Crucible and the promising young Judd Trump didn't.....

Anonymous said...

And what about Ebdon?

Anonymous said...

Well Stephen Lee went through because he beat Trump 10-8 from 1-5 down. Very well done! Anything to say to that?

He was the better man and the best fighter. Full stop.
As for being his weight, it has nothing to do with his snooker, has it?

Anonymous said...

I was referring to Burnett.

Anonymous said...

It does when you talk about lasting the distance in a tournament.

Anonymous said...

I feel embarrassing when i see such a stupid comments like above.
Well done Jamie and Stephen.
I believe that he is clear.
After 13 years at the Crucible.
Trump must wait many years to achieve what Lee achieved...

Anonymous said...

It's a shame that there's a cloud over Burnett, because his return to The Crucible is a great achievement. But overall I think the number of talking points raised in the qualifiers just reminds us how important it is that these things get reported. Is the PA sending any of this stuff out?

Anonymous said...

Maguire vs Burnett in round one at Sheffield anybody?

Dave H said...

Anon - the PA is reporting it, although yesterday they managed to get the Burnett score wrong and credit Mark Williams with a century he never made

Anonymous said...

This should have been cleared up long before now. All bookmakers will happily hand over details of what has already been widely reported.

How long does it take to study tapes of what's happened? A farce of an investigation on top of a very dodgy incident.

Anonymous said...

Ebdon should be banned not Burnett.
And Selt should be punish for what he did few years ago.