The players in question have been charged earlier this year for breaching regulations related to match-fixing in snooker. The WPBSA Disciplinary Commission has now settled on penalties for these players. Liang Wenbo and Li Hang have both been given a lifetime ban and ordered to pay £43,000 each in costs. They have been found guilty of fixing or helping fix several matches, as well as soliciting, inducing, enticing, persuading, encouraging, or facilitating other players to fix nine additional matches. The seriousness of these breaches has led to the imposition of lifetime bans by the WPBSA.
The WPBSA strictly prohibits all players from placing bets on snooker matches. Any approaches or reports of match-fixing or other corruption should be immediately reported to the WPBSA. The punishments for other players involved in these activities include suspensions of varying lengths. Lu Ning has been suspended for five years and four months, Yan Bingtao for five years, Zhao Xintong for one year and eight months, Zhao Jianbo for two years and four months, Chang Bingyu for two years, Bai Langning for two years and eight months, Chen Zifan for five years, and Zhang Jiankang for two years and 11 months. These players had their penalties reduced due to early admissions and guilty pleas.
This case has been a complex one, according to WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson. It is disheartening to see young, talented players succumb to the pressure exerted by more senior players. The WPBSA considers this behavior wholly unacceptable, which is why it has imposed lifetime bans on the two senior players involved. This outcome serves as a lesson to those who believe they can avoid detection while engaging in match-fixing. Severe penalties await any player found involved in fixing a snooker match.
The case initially came to light in August 2022 through an alert from the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA). The WPBSA Integrity Unit, in collaboration with Sportradar, conducted the investigation. IBIA chief executive Khalid Ali commends the WPBSA for successfully prosecuting this case. It underscores the importance of well-regulated betting markets in deterring corruption and sends a clear message to athletes about the risks associated with match-fixing.
