Snooker fans match ban

Due to their involvement in snooker match-fixing, Chinese authorities have increased the bans imposed on five players.

The Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association has punished several players tougher, including Zhao Xintong, 26, who won the UK Championship, and Yan Bingtao, 23, the former Masters champion.

Though Bingtao was originally given a five-year suspension, he will now be barred from the World Snooker Tour for seven and a half years.

There will be no Xintong until July 2025.

The bans on Bai Langning, Zhang Jiankang, and Lu Ning have all been increased to four years, eight years, and four years and five months, respectively.

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) gave Liang Wenbo and Li Hang lifetime bans, which the governing body has also supported.

This month, ten Chinese athletes received punishments in total for their roles in match-fixing.

They are accused of fixing matches, betting on snooker, approaching players to cheat, and manipulating games.

All ten players were given until June 20th to file an appeal of the rulings.

This month, WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson stated that the situation was “very complex.”

“Seeing some young, gifted athletes violate the WPBSA conduct rules as a result of pressure has been heartbreaking.