Allen apologises after rant at Chinese "cheats"

Mark Allen has apologised for his controversial claim that Cao Yupeng and his fellow Chinese players were more likely to cheat than their rivals on the snooker circuit. Allen, 26, was furious that Cao didn't call a foul against himself during their first round match at the World Championships on Sunday when he appeared to strike the cue ball twice while taking a shot. That is against the rules but the pot was allowed and Allen, who eventually lost 10-6, used his post-match press conference to air his view that "blatant cheating" might be "a bit of a trait for the Chinese players". The Northern Irishman had already angered Chinese snooker chiefs, saying Hainan, the island venue for the World Open, was "horrendous" and the people "ignorant". The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) confirmed on Tuesday that Allen would face disciplinary action, with chairman Jason Ferguson saying the governing body took "very seriously comments made which could be perceived to be directed at a particular nation". World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn added: "To effectively accuse your opponent of cheating is looked on as bringing the game into disrepute. "Time and time again Mark seems unable to control himself in his public statements. Sometimes I am speechless." In a bid to lessen the damage to his career, Allen issued a statement on Tuesday through his management, which said: "Following my recent comments in the press conference after my first-round defeat to Cao Yupeng, I would like to formally apologise to anyone who may have been offended. "Having taken some time to reflect on my comments I can appreciate that I overstepped the line at a time when I was heavily influenced by the emotions of a disappointing defeat. "I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to Cao Yupeng if he felt that my comments were insinuating he were a cheat."