Davis predicts cloud over John Higgins

"There's going to be a cloud over him for a while," Davis told BBC Scotland. "But, over time, everything changes and it will be forgotten eventually.

"The best policy, as I'm sure he's already said, is to keep his head down and to play the game he loves."

Higgins is due to play again next month after bring the sport into disrepute.

The Scot was fined £75,000 and banned for six months, backdated to May, for not reporting an illegal approach made to him to discuss throwing frames.

And the 35-year-old three-time world champion accepted the decision by an independent tribunal.

Addressing the Higgins case and the wider issue of alleged corruption in the sport, Davis stressed the importance of tackling the problem head-on.

"I think anybody that's not in the know as to what was involved in the independent inquiry is going to question it and everyone will have their own opinions," he added.

"It's something John is going to have to live with.

"I think all sports have the problem of the possibilities of gambling and it's something that always going to rear it's ugly head every now and again.

"But it's nice when one is cleared up within the game and everyone can get back to looking at what's happening on the table.

"We obviously have a few more clouds to clear up before the game is up to speed in bright sky.

"It has to be talked about and the best thing is to keep on talking about it.

"To believe it's gone away or to put your head in the sand is the wrong approach.

"All the players are aware that a lot of eyes are on them.

"It may be an embarrassing situation but until you admit the problem you can't deal with it."

Davis is in his third decade in snooker and has seen the adverse headlines dog his beloved game before.

"You may say that in a sport where there is not that much prize money, some of the players get tempted," he explained.

"But it's not to say that it's any better of worse than other sports.

"And you will always get people who don't believe what they're seeing.

"If you go back to 1985 and me versus Dennis Taylor in the final that ended up on the black, there are people, who still to this day, don't believe that was true. That there was something going on.

"As long as you know you're house is in order, that's the best you can do."

Davis crashed out at the first hurdle in the World Open being played in Glasgow but the veteran is excited by the new format.

"The idea is to get everyone on the edge of their seats by making it best of five," he enthused.

"And the snooker has been quite cutthroat

"It also encourages more players to get involved, since we've had more than 1000 entries for this particular event.

"Worldwide, I think we will see more and more people thinking 'what a great idea - a world open'.

"It's not just a closed shop for the pros, everyone can have a go and perhaps change their life, if they are good enough."