BREAKING NEWS:What is happening as 10 stars banned including two for life

Liang Wenbo, Li Hang, Yan Bingtao, Zhao Xintong, Lu Ning, Zhao Jianbo, Chang Bingyu, Bai Langning, Chen Zifan and Zhang Jiankang have all been handed suspensions following the investigation

Liang Wenbo and Li Hang are two of the ten Chinese players barred from one of the biggest match-fixing scandals in sports history, receiving lifetime bans from the game of snooker.

The guilty decisions on several charges related to match-fixing and the penalties imposed by the independent disciplinary hearing presided over by Ian Mill KC were made public on a terrible day for the sport. Liang, 36, a former English Open champion, was found guilty of a number of offenses, including match-fixing and inciting others to do the same.

He also failed to co-operate with the investigation, bet on snooker, deleted messages and threatened others with the investigation and threatening another player to do the same. Liang was fined £43,000 in costs. Li fixed or was a party to fixing five matches, and also encouraged others to do likewise. He also failed to co-operate, deleted messages and bet on snooker matches. He was also fined £43,000 costs.

Chang Bingyu, who is only 20 years old, was sentenced to two years instead of three after admitting to fixing a match. Bai Langning, 21, has been banned for two years and eight months, instead of four years, after pleading guilty to match-fixing.

After admitting guilt to the charges of fixing or conspiring to fix three matches, Chen Zifan, 27, was given a five-year ban, with two and a half of those years being withdrawn. Last but not least, Zhang Jiankang, 24, was placed on the list of shame and banned for two years and eleven months instead of four years and five months for admitting to match-fixing, snooker betting, and lack of cooperation.

Players have until June 20, 2023, to file an appeal of the rulings.

arrived after a complex and often tough investigation by the WPBSA’s integrity unit. Among many alarming aspects of the case are the young ages of some of those involved, together with the reports of intimidation from some older players.

And with 10 players banned snooker has to take its place in the pantheon of shame alongside grim sporting episodes such as cricket spot-fixing, Italian football’s lowest moments, and even the baseball Chicago White Sox World Series ‘fix’ of 1919.

And major changes and beefed-up education and scrutiny can be expected at the academies at which most of the players were based in the UK.

WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson said “This has been a very complex case. It has been heart-breaking to see some young talented players fall foul of the WPBSA Conduct Regulations through pressure exerted by two senior players. This behaviour has been recognised as wholly unacceptable by the imposition of two lifetime bans from participating in recognised snooker in any way.

“Those who try to corrupt sport are constantly trying to find new ways to avoid our monitoring processes and this outcome must be taken as a lesson to those who think they can avoid detection. If any player is involved in fixing a snooker match, they will be caught and will face severe penalties.

“I am pleased that the Commission found that they did not see from the present case “ any evidence of a wider culture of wrongdoing in snooker”. The WPBSA will continue its strong stance against those who try to manipulate sport and today’s outcome sends out a clear message that match fixing will not be tolerated in snooker.”