Stephen Lee has spoken about his arrest yesterday as part of a police probe into match fixing.
Talking to his local paper, the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, Lee said: "I got home really late last night. I will say that I was treated really badly yesterday, so I'm still in a bit of shock.''
Paul Mount of On Q Promotions, Lee's management group, said in a statement: "Stephen co-operated fully with the police inquiry and was released without charge. He does not expect any charge to be made and denies any involvement with cheating or betting irregularities.
"Stephen is now concentrating on practising hard to achieve qualification for the World Championship and to fulfil all of his exhibition commitments."
Lee is due to play in the Pro Challenge Series event at Liverpool next Tuesday and in the final qualifying round of the World Championship next month.
17 comments:
I hope there is no substance to these allegations, and there probably isnt.
Ive never seen a snooker ball hit so sweetly as Steven could do on his day.
Possibly the finest cue action the game has seen, but problems with health and weight significantly effected his career.
Best wishes to the guy although I have to admit he has cost me a few quid in the past, but it wasnt for the want of trying.
Speaking on behalf of Lee, manager Paul Mount said: ''He's dumbfounded that he's been arrested at all, and so am I.
''I've been working with Stephen now for about a year and never ever did I or anybody else in our organisation or any of the other players involved in our team of players, not one of us ever thought Stephen was involved in something like that.
''It's come as a real shock to all of us. And I one hundred per cent support Stephen and believe that he has not been involved in any way with any cheating or betting irregularities.
''He's a lovely man. If you go back a few seasons Stephen was provisionally number one in the world.
''He's had a bit of a bad run and at the moment he's down at number 25 in the world.
''He's working his socks off to try and get back up the rankings, so the last thing he's going to want to do is be throwing FRAMES away.
''He wants to get back into the top 16, and he's not going to do anything to jeopardise that.'
I think Paul Mount has unearthed the answer to all this.
Its not matches he has allegedly thrown but single frames at the start of long matches.
Thanks for confirming this Paul, and that Lee is a lovely man which is hardly a relevant issue here.
@ Anonymus: I don't see that Paul Mount unearthed anything here but you can interpret this interview in any way you like.
The only fact that the fans know for ceratin is, that this incidents are damaging the reputation of Snooker as one of the rare "clean" sports. The rest is speculation untill the police finished the investigation and presents their results. So I guess anyone should back off from stupid and unfounded accusation against any of the players untill ther actually is any proof.
Dear Brave Anonymous,
To quote and interpret someone elses comments as you see it and not how it may have been meant is totally out of order. I'm sure, myself and many others took Paul Mount's comment as meaning that Stephen would not throw a frame let alone a match, and why in your text did you capitalise the word frame when it has not been writen like that anywhere else. This statement is the same as saying that a person accused of hurting some one would say "they wouldn't even hurt a fly" or someone accused of stealing a millon dollars could say "I'd never steal a dime". So to say "thanks Paul for confirming this" is rubbish. Pauls statement confirmed nothing in my view and its just your twisted way of interpreting his statement - don't work for the tabloid press do you? perhaps you could apply for a job as people like you are the ones that ruin other peoples lives without good reason. So if you know something come out and say it otherwise leave the poor guy alone. In this country its innocent until proven guilty and as far as the reports say Stephen was not charged with anything!
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Hi Dave
How’s tricks! Your new rules to quell an unfair advantage has one flaw. The third choice should be “Play from any vacant Spot”.
Mr hey you
@ 8.47
did the police have to arrest SL to speak to him?
if not, are you writing a letter telling them to shut up and not say anything or do anything until theyve got concrete proof?
Yes the police did have to arrest SL 8:36PM its all part of a police enquiry.
exactly 1153, they had to yet they havent charged him.
im quite sure we can speculate without accusing someone, tho whether Dave will allow speculation is another matter, but i dont think its against the law to speculate one way or another...
Its very simple.
If the police add enough to charge Stephen, they would, without delay.
They obviously haven't therefore he is innocent.
Mr Hey You constantly gets ignored, so why not ignore - as I shall do from now on - mongs who wish to attempt to assassinate peoples character with substance or foundation, and leave Dave to not publish anything harsher.
Regards,
T
@7.29
Police often arrest without charging straight away. What they have to do is make sure they have a case that is a) in the public interest to prosecute and b) is sufficiently strong so that the burden of proof upon the Crown to prove guilt (beyond reasonable doubt) is likely to be met at trial - I make no assertions as to the guilt or innocence of Stephen Lee just thought i'd clarify the police situation.
BC
i agree that Dave should watch out, but i am already sure he does that anyway, so its not like you or anyone else is advising him something he doesnt do off his own back.
calling people mongs, no matter how different their opinions and thoughts, wont gain much support of your average civilised person.
Stephen Lee is respected by everyone on the tour to a man.
He always tries his best and lives for the sport.
@ 08.36:
Different from you its the police's job to find out things. They have to investigate the matter further. And I don'Tt see a policeman writing things like "Stephen Lee cheats". There is a fine line between investigation and accusation. Police does the first as a job, you (or 12.04 AM) did the last with no good reason.
Trophymad,
Still going on about the post at 12.04am are we?
Stephen Lee was actually arrested on suspicion of cheating, so your last post is fairly odd.
There have been many rumours regarding this for many months so Lee should be grateful of the matter being brought to investigation.
If innocent he can clear his name and the rumour mill can stop.
So dont worry yourself unless he is guilty, and nobody on here is qualified to say that just yet.
Lets hope the truth will out, whatever that truth is and hopefully for the good of the game, he has done nothing wrong.
Only Stephen knows the truth about this at the end of the day - everything else that is written is irrelevant speculation.
agreed 709, but we are allowed to speculate...
I guess you're right it's interesting to hear...
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