I'm probably guilty of naiveté concedes banned Higgins after clearance over fixing

Higgins, who was also fined 75,000, admitted breaching rules around betting at the two-day London hearing overseen by independent body Sport Resolutions.

The 35-year-old Scot was suspended in May pending an investigation into allegations of frame-throwing made by the News of the World.

He admitted "intentionally giving the impression to others that they were agreeing to act in breach of the betting rules" and failing to report the matter promptly to the governing body, World Snooker.

However, the charges of "agreeing or offering" to accept bribes and "agreeing to engage in corrupt or fraudulent conduct" were dropped.

Higgins's then manager, Pat Mooney, has been permanently suspended from the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.

Speaking outside the hearing, Higgins – who in May insisted he and Mooney had feared they were in the company of "Russian mafia" in Kiev and decided "to play along with these guys and get out of Ukraine" – said he was pleased he was found not guilty of any dishonesty and "had no intention to fix a match and no intention to do anything corrupt".

Higgins continued: "The statement I made in May immediately after the newspaper accusations was 100 per cent true then and they are 100 per cent true today. I have never been involved in any form of snooker match-fixing.

"In my 18 years playing professional snooker, I've never deliberately missed a shot, never intentionally lost a frame or a match. I am glad the WPBSA's view of the events in Kiev reflects that statement.

"If I am guilty of anything, it is naivet and trusting those who I believed were working in the best interests of snooker and myself.

"I accept I should have informed the WPBSA officials about the events in Kiev immediately on my return to the UK. I accept the decision to suspend me for six months and impose a fine of 75,000."

Higgins and Mooney, formerly on the board of the WPBSA, were filmed by the News of the World in Kiev allegedly agreeing to accept 261,000 in return for fixing the outcome of four frames in matches to be played later this year.

Like Higgins, the two more serious charges against Mooney were withdrawn, while he admitted the other two.

Higgins always denied any wrongdoing and insisted he would fight to clear his name, and the world governing body yesterday agreed the player "would never throw, and had no intention at that meeting of throwing any frame of snooker for reward".

In his summary of decision, Mr Ian Mill QC said: "His account (which has remained consistent throughout) was as follows. Mr Higgins found himself in that meeting having only just beforehand been warned by Mr Mooney that there was a possibility (nothing more) that the subject of throwing frames might arise as part of the overall business discussions that were about to commence.

"Without any opportunity for mature reflection, Mr Higgins, who is by nature someone who seeks to avoid confrontation or unpleasantness, decided to play along with the discussion when the topic did indeed arise.

"He also found the atmosphere in the meeting somewhat intimidating. His focus was entirely on bringing the meeting to an end as soon as possible and getting on a plane home.

"I have no doubt that the association was right to conclude that this account by Mr Higgins was a truthful one."

The summary of decision laid the blame for the predicament the Scot found himself in squarely at the door of Mooney, claiming the manager's account was "highly implausible" and that he had committed "the most egregious betrayals of trust".

Higgins, suspended by the association on May 2, will be banned from the game until midnight on November 1.