Higgins feels 'betrayal' over bribe claims

Snooker player John Higgins said today he will 'vigorously defend' himself in the face of allegations he agreed to fix a match and again insisted he is '100% innocent'.

The Scot said in a statement that the past few days had been 'emotionally draining for me and my family'.

He said: 'In the last week I have experienced a whole range of emotions: despair, frustration, anger, rage and most of all a sense of betrayal.'

Higgins was filmed by undercover News of the World reporters who have accused him of agreeing to fix a match.

He said he believed the meeting with the journalists was to arrange a series of tournaments in the Ukraine.

Today the newspaper also alleged that he had tried to bet against himself in last year's World Championship final.