Five Chinese snooker players banned amid ongoing investigation into match-fixing - The Mirror

The sport has been plunged into chaos with chiefs suspending five players from the World Snooker Tour amid the biggest match-fixing probe in the history of the game

Snooker bosses have suspended five players over an ongoing match-fixing investigation.

In the biggest such probe in the history of the sport Chinese players Lu Ning, Li Hang, Zhao Jianbo, Bai Langning and Chang Bingyu have been barred from attending or competing on the tour.

This follows the suspension of former English Open winner Liang Wenbo, 35, back in October over a probe into unspecified “allegations of misconduct”.

The newly named five have been suspended over allegations of manipulating the outcome of matches for betting purposes against WPBSA rules.

And Liang’s ban will also remain in place pending the final outcome of the probe into his situation. If charges are brought, players will have the right to appeal any such decision.

Liang, two times a World Cup winner, has already served one ban earlier this year over an incident that took place in 2021.

In July Liang was banned for four months to August by the WPBSA following a conviction for a domestic related assault in April over an incident that occurred in July 2021.

He had earlier been handed a 12-month community order and fined £1,380 after pleading guilty to the charge at Sheffield Magistrates Court.

Liang was captured on CCTV punching and kicking a woman in Sheffield City Centre before dragging her to the floor. But the latest investigation is unrelated.