Allen’s remarks may trigger his suspended ban

Allen and Fu were yesterday evening going head to head in the first round of the williamhill.com UK Championship at York’s Barbican Centre.

Following his first-round defeat to Cao Yupeng at the World Championship in April, Northern Irishman Allen accused his conqueror that day of playing a banned push shot, and also named Hong Kong player Fu as a player he believed to have broken the rules in the past.

The 26-year-old stood by that position in an interview ahead of the UK Championship, and subsequently has been asked to explain himself by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.

The WPBSA have written to Allen, who was served with a three-month ban, suspended for six months, for his comments at the Crucible which concerned Cao, Fu and Chinese players in general.

Fu has denied ever cheating, and has never been found guilty of any offence.

A World Snooker spokesman confirmed yesterday that Allen was facing a fresh investigation, as his comments concerning Fu came a day before his six-month probation period was due to expire.

The spokesman said: “His comments have been looked at and he has been asked to explain what he said.”

When asked last Wednesday about his “cheating” claims, Allen said: “It was a comment that I still stand by.

“I’d never said anything about Marco as a person. Marco as a person is one of the nicest people you’d ever meet.

“Obviously people make mistakes on the table. But aside from that, Marco is a great snooker player.”

Allen looked to be heading for a heavy defeat in York last night, to compound his problems, when he trailed 5-1. However, he staged a comeback, winning the next two frames, only for Fu to seal a 6-3 triumph.