Maguire - Players are clean

Maguire: Backed memorandum

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Stephen Maguire has welcomed the latest move to protect the sport from rogue gambling - but insists players are clean.

His comments come after the sport's governing body World Snooker entered into a memorandum of understanding with Betfair which allows both parties to exchange and share information in the case of any suspicious activity.

It follows an agreement which has been in place with the Association of British Bookmakers since 2005.

World number two Maguire believes snooker is right to do everything it can to guard against foul play.

"If every other sport has signed a memorandum then snooker should sign it," said Maguire, who was speaking at the official launch of the Royal London Watches Grand Prix on Friday.

Mad

But he believes throwing matches is contrary to everything snooker players stand for.

He said: "Nobody's going to lose their career over a silly bet. You'd just be mad to do that.

"If any of the boys found out that somebody's going to throw a match, that player would just be alienated.

"We don't practise for that. We don't practise every day of the week to go and lose a match - that's just silly.

"It's a good thing them signing it and keeping an eye on anything they need to keep an eye on but there's definitely nothing happening."