Unfolds a Snooker Fixing Scandal: Lifetime Bans and Suspensions Enforced
Long-term effort and commitment led to dismal outcomes for two seasoned Chinese snooker competitors. Liang Wenbo and Li Hang have received lifetime prohibitions from the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) due to their involvement in manipulating matches within snooker.
Liang and Li were charged by the Independent Disciplinary Committee on Tuesday for their role in the corruption racket, as per the WPBSA's announcement. They additionally influenced or coerced others into manipulating matches.
Apparently, they managed to persuade several others to join in. Eight more Chinese players, all implicated, received bans with varying durations. All accused have until June 20 to contest the verdict.
Flagrant Alteration of Snooker Games
The WPBSA’s Integrity Unit and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) started an investigation in August of the previous year, eventually resulting in the suspension of all 10 players. An independent commission was then established to carry out the investigation.
Liang, a runner-up in snooker’s 2022 UK Championship, and Li actively engaged in manipulating five matches in July 2022. They also coerced others to manipulate games between July and December, according to the investigation.
It's good that the commission found no evidence of a pervasive culture of cheating in snooker from the current case. The WPBSA remains firm in its commitment to fighting those who tamper with sports, and today's decision sends a strong warning that match-fixing will not be tolerated in snooker,” said WPBSA Chair Jason Ferguson in a statement.
The players manipulated the results of their matches and persuaded others to do the same. They then gambled on those matches and others. However, a tip to the IBIA put an end to their illicit careers.
The scandal also ensnared players such as Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong, both promising players in the game. Yan, the winner of the 2021 Masters Championship, is suspended from play for five years, while Zhao, who won the UK Championship in 2021 and the 2022 German Masters, received a 20-month ban.
The investigation didn’t expose widespread match-fixing in snooker, but scrutiny is now the norm. This March, British snooker champ Mark King received a temporary suspension by the World Snooker Tour due to suspicious bets related to one of his matches.
Active Criminal Activities
In addition to the lifetime ban, Liang is also required to pay a fine of $53,363. As the mastermind behind the illegal activities, he routinely broke the rules and covered his tracks. Alongside manipulating five matches and forcing nine more players to do the same, he frequently threatened others, wagered on games, and deleted text conversations to cover his trails.
Li will also pay a similar fine although he only attempted to get players to manipulate seven games. He also wagered on matches and tried to erase any evidence.
22-year-old Yan could have faced a ban of up to seven and a half years. But a plea bargain helped reduce some of the time. He assisted investigators in building their case, but admitted to fixing four matches and wagering on others. He is required to pay a fine of approximately $9,300.
Zhao, a 25-year-old player currently ranked 11, also helped the investigation and admitted to wagering and fixing two games. As a result of his cooperation, his 30-month ban was shortened by 10 months. But he also has to pay a $9,300 fine.
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