Higgins let off the hook

We all get our fair share of luck over the years, but I can't help but feel John Higgins got an entire lifetime's worth and more today.

His two-day tribunal reached conclusion this afternoon, and the three-time world champion was found not guilty of match fixing, and given a mere £75,000 fine and six-month back dated suspension from the sport.

This will see the Scot back on the baize in November, ready to compete in this year's Masters, UK Championship and World Championship.

Where is the justice in this?

While Higgins claims all he is guilty of is naivety, I feel more strongly. True, he may not have known what he was getting himself into when he travelled to Kiev with his manager Pat Mooney.

But we've all seen the video footage. And on the back of this exchange, although he says he felt intimidated, he never told the authorities.

The result was the reputation of the sport being dragged through the mud, on none other day than that of the world final.

His actions, in my opinion, warranted a stricter punishment.

Only John knows whether he would have gone through with the match fixing scandal. He claims not, and the panel believe him.

I fear the fans of the sport will be a little tougher to convince.

And all because of this foolish moment, whether innocent or not, Higgins has now lost every inch of the reputation he fought for years to build.

Despite having accumulated 21 ranking titles in his decorated career, I know fans will not be able to take to him like they did before.

I'm sure he'll fight tooth and nail to win more trophies in the game. This setback will probably reinvigorate his determination. And I wouldn't put it past him picking up the world title again this year.

That's just the kind of player he's always been.

But whatever pots he can get his hands on, he faces no bigger challenge than winning back the respect of the snooker fans who once adored him.