lhpirnie wrote:It is a controversial decision. OK, WST probably know that Zhao Xintong, Yan Bingtao, Mark King and Lu Ning will not be returning, but their ranking position was determined before their suspensions. In that sense the players who are benefiting haven't earned their position according to the rules. For example, if a top-64 player announced his retirement at the end of a season, that doesn't mean No.65 suddenly gets to keep his place.
I think WST have made the right decision. Pragmatic, covers all eventualities, ensures that no-one loses out whichever scenario plays out, provides certainty for every player that isn't facing sanctions, removes any time pressure from the independent tribunal process and any subsequent appeal.
If the four players you named had been judged before the end of 2022-23, and suspended for a period ending after the end of 2023-24 they would logically have been excluded from the rankings at least for tour survival purposes (see Cao Yupeng end 2018-19)
WST have opted to ensure equity with the possibility that it will end up as equity+. That's preferable to risking falling short of equity.