BEIJING: Chinese snooker players Liang Wenbo and Li Hang have been handed lifetime bans from the sport by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association for their role in a match-fixing scandal involving eight more of their countrymen.
Liang and Li were found by an independent disciplinary commission on Tuesday to have fixed five matches in July, then encouraged or put pressure on others to fix matches between July and December.
“It has been heartbreaking to see some young talented players fall foul of the [World Snooker] Conduct Regulations through pressure exerted by two senior players,” said Jason Ferguson, chairman of World Snooker.
“This behaviour has been recognised as wholly unacceptable by the imposition of two lifetime bans from participating in recognized snooker in any way.”
A total of 10 Chinese players were sanctioned by the World Snooker Tour, including Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong – two of the biggest names in the sport.
Yan – the 2021 Masters champion – was handed a five-year ban and Zhao – the UK Championship winner from the same year – was banned for one year and eight months.
