 Barry Hearn is anxious for any 'sickness' to be stamped out
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World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn says any sickness in snooker will be removed "in a brutal manner" if the allegations against John Higgins are proved.
Higgins and his manager Pat Mooney were the victims of a News of the World sting in which the player allegedly agreed to take a £261,000 bribe.
Hearn said: "If there is a sickness in snooker, it will be the death knell of snooker if it is not removed.
"If John is proven guilty the penalties will be very harsh indeed."
Higgins, 34, the world number one, was suspended indefinitely on Sunday but released a statement on Sunday in which he acknowledged that his reputation was at stake but said his conscience was "100% clear".
He went on: "Others have now damaged that reputation and it is now left to me to clear my name. I have never been involved in any form of snooker match-fixing."
The evidence against Higgins centres on an alleged verbal agreement by the Scot that he would be prepared to lose specific frames in various future tournaments for money.
Hearn has pledged to look into all the allegations, which appeared in the News of the World, "in the fastest possible timetable".
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Former Metropolitan Police detective chief superintendent David Douglas has been asked to examine the evidence.
Hearn said: "Obviously the guy [Higgins] is in bits. And I can sympathise, empathise, with him because it [snooker] has been his whole life.
"We had a very frank conversation because I was in a position to say 'look, I'm not judge and jury here, my job is to refer it to the appropriate authorities'.
"But as a friend, which I would classify myself to John Higgins because I've known him for 20 years, it doesn't look good, John'.
"We all watched the video, we've all seen it. Now, whatever reason there may be behind the scenes - and John has subsequently come out with a statement - I can only judge on the visual evidence that is in front of me.
"I just stressed to John that this is something that is not going away but it will be treated as a very, very serious offence, potentially, and if he is found guilty will carry the most severe of penalties.
"And obviously that's very upsetting for him, which I can understand because it's his life, his living.
"I believe he's a proud man, I actually believe he's an honest man but I can't ignore the evidence in front of me and the damage potentially it could do to the game."
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When something like this challenges the very fabric of what you believe in you look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself 'is this what I want?
Barry Hearn
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Hearn was speaking at an open media session in Sheffield on Monday, two hours before the final of the World Championship between Neal Robertson and Graeme Dott was due to resume.
The mastermind behind darts' commercial rebirth, Hearn has been involved as a both a promoter and player manager in snooker since the 1970s, with Steve Davis one of his first high-profile clients.
Last December, he became the new chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
Hearn admitted he had questioned whether he wished to continue in the job.
"Potentially this is our worst hour," he said. "When something like this challenges the very fabric of what you believe in you look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself 'is this what I want?
"This is huge backward step for me personally. Issues that involve integrity of the sport hurt me very badly.
"It's a body blow but it's not a knockout blow. If we can put our house in order we can preserve the integrity of the sport and the damage can be overcome."
On taking up his role at the WPBSA last December, Hearn promised a "fresh approach" to the sport, with Higgins one of the players voicing his approval.
Higgins said at the time: "The game has been slowly dying for years but I am sure Barry is the man to breathe life back into it."
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