Ex-UK snooker champ who was suspended for 20 months set for comeback after pals banned for life - The Mirror

Zhao Xintong, one of 10 Chinese snooker players to be banned from the sport following a match-fixing scandal, is set to return to action at a tournament in Bulgaria

A former UK Championship winner is set to return to snooker after serving a 20-month ban.

Zhao Xintong was one of a group of 10 Chinese players to be given bans in 2023 as part of the sport’s biggest match-fixing scandal. The 27-year-old was not found to have thrown a match himself, although he accepted charges of being a party to another player fixing two matches and betting on matches himself.

Zhao, who won the UK Championship in 2021 after beating Luca Brecel in the final, was initially banned two and a half years before the sanction was reduced to one year and eight months after his early admissions and guilty plea. With his ban now served as of the start of September, Zhao will return to competitive snooker at a WPBSA Q-Tour event in Bulgaria, which begins on Friday, September 20.

Zhao received the lightest punishment handed out by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association following a widespread match-fixing investigation. Liang Wenbo and Li Hang were banned from snooker for life while Lu Ning was suspended for five years and four months.

Speaking at the time, World Snooker (WST) chairman Steve Dawson said that the sport had a duty to “stamp out” corruption. He added: “As tour organisers we have that responsibility to our fans and players.

“WPBSA’s disciplinary commission, which is completely independent of WST, has to be transparent in dealing with corruption and punish any athlete found to have offended, with strong deterrents.

“WPBSA is a world leader in terms of their sophisticated tracking systems, and the manner in which they have pursued this matter to its conclusion proves their determination to stamp out corruption.

“The message to players is clear: if you cheat, you will get caught, and punished severely. Player education is crucial so that they are aware of the pitfalls, and the focus is on prevention rather than cure.

“WPBSA has a strong focus on educating, supporting and protecting players, and offering them confidential lines of communication if they have any concerns or information. Together, we will move forward with exciting plans for future growth.”

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