Snooker: Clarke's drug test fine

DARREN CLARKE was yesterday docked pounds 2,600 by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association after admitting that he had taken marijuana.

The money was Clarke's earnings for reaching the second round of the pounds 370,000 Scottish Open at Aberdeen's Exhibition and Conference Centre in February.

Clarke submitted a positive urine sample on the day of his 5-1 defeat to Scotland's Chris Small, just 24 hours after he had beaten Steve Davis in the first round by the same scoreline.

During a meeting of the WPBSA's disciplinary committee, Clarke confirmed the sample contained marijuana, which meant he was in breach of two rules relating to the presence of banned substances.

The disciplinary committee automatically disqualified Clarke from the tournament, leading to his forfeiture of the pounds 2,600 prize-money and 855 ranking points.