Snooker star who was banned for match-fixing wins first tournament after returning to sport - The Mirror

Zhao Xintong was one of 10 players banned in the wake of the match-fixing scandal nearly two years ago, and he has now claimed his first title since returning

Ex-UK Championship winner Zhao Xintong has celebrated a tournament win following his ban due to a match-fixing scandal early last year.

Zhao was among 10 Chinese players who faced disciplinary action from the WPBSA in January of 2023, receiving a suspension of one year and eight months that has now been served.

The 27-year-old has now won a title, having triumphed over Craig Steadman in Stockholm while participating in the amateur WPBSA Q Tour - a platform that awards World Snooker Tour cards to the top two qualifiers.

Currently, Zhao is second in the Q Tour rankings, trailing behind Estonian player Andres Petrov, and appears to be single-mindedly focused on regaining his professional status.

The Chinese star made his initial return last month and, after suffering a defeat in Bulgaria, arrived at this recent event with something to prove. He achieved eight century breaks during the tournament, including an impressive 147 against young player Shaun Liu, demonstrating that his less than two-year ban hadn't caused any deterioration in his skills.

Interestingly, Zhao's suspension was the shortest among his nine fellow players. After admitting to being involved in another player fixing two matches and betting on snooker matches himself, the 27-year-old's penalty was reduced from an initial two and a half years, reports the Express.

However, some other guilty parties, including 2015 UK Championship finalist Liang Wenbo, and fellow player Li Hang, were given lifetime bans.

Yan Bingtao, the 2021 Masters champion, was hit with a massive five-year suspension also, and ordered to cough up £7500 in costs - mirroring the financial penalty faced by Zhao.

Following his victory over Steadman, Zhao confessed: "Coming to Sweden, I just wanted to get used to this feeling of playing in tournaments again. I wasn't aiming to be the champion, but I just wanted to get back to playing competitively again.

"I haven't changed my practice schedule. I still practice as usual and play against professionals. I think my scoring in the last few days is within my capability, and I know I can score well.

"I will select which events I want to play in on the Q Tour, but right now, it is all about getting that tournament feeling, and I am pleased to be getting that feeling back."