Largest-Ever Snooker Match-Fixing Scandal Sees 2 Chinese Players Permanently Banned, 8 Others Suspended

Snooker’s governing body, World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), has announced that eight professional Chinese players have been suspended and two more have been given lifetime bans for match-fixing.

Snooker players from the United Kingdom have historically dominated the sport, but as the game gains popularity in China, there has been an influx of Chinese talent. According to the WPBSA, Liang Wenbo and Li Hang received lifelong bans for breaking conduct rules, while the other eight players entered guilty pleas and received extended penalties. This includes Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao, two of the sport’s top players, who were suspended for one year and eight months, and five years, respectively. As a result of their early acknowledgment of guilt, Lu Ning, Zhao Jianbo, Chang Bingyu, Bai Langning, Chen Zifan, and Zhang Jiangkang were all subject to bans that ranged from two to eight years.

Senior Players Pressured Younger Players to Involve in Match Fixing

After receiving a warning from the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) in August of last year, the disciplinary hearing was held in April and May of this year, and the verdict was awaited ever since. In line with the probe, Liang was the first Chinese player to be suspended in October. Each of the 10 players has until the end of June to challenge the rulings.

The WPBSA’s report showed Li and Liang to be the main organizers of fixing several matches between July and September of last year. The remaining athletes either participated in match-fixing or placed their own fraudulent wagers. This case has been quite complicated. WPBSA also announced sanctions for each of the ten players, ranging from $9,300 to $53,000.

The players that were fined haven’t yet made any statements in the media. The Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association stated that the 10 players involved manipulated match results and reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy toward unsportsmanlike behavior, such as gambling and match-fixing.

Liang Wenbo, One of Players Receiving Lifetime Ban, Poses Biggest Star of Chinese Snooker

The severe action taken by the WPBSA was to impose a lifetime ban on Liang after determining that he had engaged in repeated match-fixing. His professional snooker career has come to an end as a result of this ban. Additionally, as part of the disciplinary action brought against him, he has been ordered to pay £43,000 in costs. Liang had engaged in match-fixing activities repeatedly, the investigation found. He was discovered to have fixed five games in July and was charged with inciting or coercing others to tamper with game results between July and December. These results show a pattern of involvement in illegal actions that damaged the sport’s integrity.

One million dollars is said to be Liang’s estimated net worth. There may be differences in estimates since other sources speculate that his net worth is closer to $2 million. It is crucial to keep in mind that these numbers refer to Liang’s financial situation, which includes both his earnings and assets. Liang’s career suffered heavily now despite his successes on the snooker table, including winning the first English Open in 2016, beating former No.1 Judd Trump against all odds of the best mobile bookmakers, and helping China win two World Cups in 2011 and 2017.

Liang participated in three games throughout tournaments during the 2022–2023 season. He has competed in three of them, winning one and losing two, demonstrating his zeal for the game. Liang exhibits a disciplined and effective approach to his gameplay, with an average shot time of about 23 seconds. Liang, who in 2016 and 2017 was 11th in the world ranking, is undoubtedly the biggest name of Chinese snooker along with the other player that received a lifelong ban, Li Hang, who was 28th in the world ranking at one point in his career.