This was published this afternoon

WPBSA Statement | 6 June 2023

WPBSA Statement | 6 June 2023

Today the independent WPBSA Disciplinary Commission has delivered its decision on the ten players charged with match fixing offences and have issued two lifetime bans for Liang Wenbo and Li Hang, and lengthy bans for the other players concerned.

1. Liang Wenbo has been given a lifetime from snooker and is to pay £43,000 in costs.
2. Li Hang has been given a lifetime from snooker and is to pay £43,000 in costs.
3. Lu Ning has been given an 8 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 5 years and 4 months until 6 April 2028. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
4. Yan Bingtao has been given a 7 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and plea of guilty, to 5 years until 11 December 2027. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
5. Zhao Xintong has been given a 2 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 1 year and 8 months until 1 September 2024. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
6. Zhao Jianbo has been given a 3 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 4 months until 7 April 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
7. Chang Bingyu has been given a 3 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years until 7 December 2024. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
8. Bai Langning has been given a 4 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 8 months until 6 August 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
9. Chen Zifan has been given a 7 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 5 years until 20 December 2027. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
10. Zhang Jiankang has been given a 4 year and 5 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 11 months until 1 December 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.

Jason Ferguson WPBSA Chairman said: “This has been a very complex case. It has been heart-breaking to see some young talented players fall foul of the WPBSA Conduct Regulations through pressure exerted by two senior players. This behaviour has been recognised as wholly unacceptable by the imposition of two lifetime bans from participating in recognised snooker in any way.

“Those who try to corrupt sport are constantly trying to find new ways to avoid our monitoring processes and this outcome must be taken as a lesson to those who think they can avoid detection. If any player is involved in fixing a snooker match, they will be caught and will face severe penalties.

“I am pleased that the Commission found that they did not see from the present case “any evidence of a wider culture of wrongdoing in snooker”. The WPBSA will continue its strong stance against those who try to manipulate sport and today’s outcome sends out a clear message that match fixing will not be tolerated in snooker.”

The circumstances of the case are that following an alert in August 2022 from the International Betting integrity Association (IBIA), the WPBSA Integrity Unit working closely with Sportradar carried out a detailed investigation that led to charging ten snooker players with serious breaches of the WPBSA Conduct Regulations. Pending the determination of those breaches the ten players were each suspended.

The WPBSA in accordance with the WPBSA Conduct Regulations, asked Sport Resolutions to appoint an independent King’s Counsel to hear the case against the ten players. Ian Mill KC was appointed to Chair the Independent Disciplinary Commission sitting with Grace Cheng of Counsel and Gordon McKay.

The case was heard in London between the 24th and 26th April and on 3rd May 2023 with the players attending in person or by video link. The Players were each legally represented or assisted by the WPBSA Players Association.

On 6th June 2023 the Disciplinary Commission released its finding on the contested charges and its decision on the sanctions to be imposed:

1. Liang Wenbo has been found in to be in breach of the Conduct Regulations as follows:

• That he fixed or was a party to fix five snooker matches between 24th July and 28th September 2022
• That he solicited, induced, enticed, persuaded, encouraged, or facilitated players to fix nine matches between 24th July and 13th December 2022
• That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.
• That he behaved in conduct that was corrupt by threatening another player and making him delete his messages on his phone.
• That he threatened another player to seek to persuade him not to assist the WPBSA enquiry.
• That he on or after 1st September 2022 when aware of the WPBSA enquiry covered up or attempted to cover up his involvement in match fixing by deleting messages on his mobile phone and by requesting that other players deleted messages on their phones.
• That he failed to cooperate with the WPBSA enquiry by failing to attend interviews and provide material requested by the WPBSA enquiry.

2. Li Hang has been found to be in breach of the Conduct Regulations as follows:

• That he fixed or was a party to fix five snooker matches between 24th July and 29th September 2022
• That he solicited, induced, enticed, persuaded, encouraged or facilitated players to fix seven snooker matches between 24th July and 13th December 2022.
• That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.
• That he on or after 1st September 2022 when aware of the WPBSA enquiry covered up or attempted to cover up his involvement in match fixing by deleting messages on his mobile phone and by requesting that other players deleted messages on their phones.

3. Lu Ning was found not to have been involved in inducing others to fix matches. He accepted the following:

• That in the 2014-15 season he fixed three snooker matches that he played in
• That he on 23rd July 2022 he fixed one snooker match that he played in.
• That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.
• That he on or after 1st September 2022 when aware of the WPBSA enquiry covered up or attempted to cover up his involvement in match fixing by deleting messages on his mobile phone.

4. Yan Bingtao accepted the following:

• That he on 29th August 2016 fixed one match that he played in
• That he between 3rd March 2022 and 29th September 2022 fixed three snooker matches that he played in.
• That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.

5. Zhao Xintong accepted the following:

• That he on 3rd March and 11th March 2022 he was a party to another player fixing two snooker matches.
• That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.

6. Zhao Jianbo accepted the following:

• That he on 26th August 2022 fixed a snooker match that he was playing in
• That he bet on the snooker match that he fixed.

7. Chang Bingyu accepted that he on 28th September 2022 had fixed a snooker match that he was playing in.
8. Bai Langning accepted that he on 26th September 2022 had fixed a snooker match that he was playing in.
9. Chen Zifan accepted the following:

• That he between 24th July and 23rd August 2022 fixed or contrived, or were a party to an effort to fix or contrive the result or score of three snooker matches that he played in

10. Zhang Jiankang accepted the following:

• That he on 22nd July 2022 fixed a match that he was playing in
• That between 1st September 2019 and 31st December 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules.
• That he failed to provide information requested by the WPBSA

The respondents have until 20th June 2023 to appeal the decisions of the Disciplinary Commission.

The full finding of the Independent Disciplinary Commission can be found here.

Without deeper analysis, the obvious consequences of this is that none of those players will be able to play next season nor will they be able to enter the 2023/24 Q-Schools. This means that none of them will be on tour before 2024/25 if they ever come back. As a result some of the amateurs/ex-pros that did well on the Q-School, without managing to secure a tour card will probably get a lot of opportunities to play next season.

The findings also confirm that some of the younger players felt threatened by Liang Wenbo and Li Hang. It’s particularly bad because those youngsters, finding themselves isolated, away from their families in a foreign country probably looked up to their more seniors fellow countrymen for advice and guidance. I can only suppose that this aspect of things contributed to the life-ban verdict, something that Jason Ferguson had initially ruled out. It also brings the question of what can be done to protect the potentially most vulnerable and I’m thinking about someone like Bai Yulu, a very young woman, alone, in a foreign country, likely not mastering the language, and finding herself in an essentially male environment/sport.

Report on the 2 Q-Schools that concluded today will be posted tomorrow.

Martyn Ziegler, writing in Times Sport, published some news about the match fixing affair involving 10 Chinese players, including Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao. Here is the link

.Unfortunately, to read the full piece, a subscription is needed and I’m not interested to subscribe to a publication that will maybe publish a couple of pieces that interest me over a year.

This is the part that comes for “free”

Chinese snooker players set for long bans over match-fixing offences

Thursday May 25 2023, 4.00pm BST,

The biggest match-fixing scandal in snooker is set to lead to lengthy bans for some of the ten Chinese players who have appeared before a disciplinary commission.

Insiders say that an announcement of the sanctions is imminent and multiyear bans for some players — who have all been suspended since being charged in January — are expected. Snooker has imposed hefty bans for fixing before, including 12 years for Stephen Lee in 2012 and eight years for Quinten Hann in 2006.

Those charged in the latest scandal included the 2021 UK Championship winner Zhao Xintong, 26, who remained in Britain for last month’s disciplinary hearings while the other nine returned to China.

One of the younger players involved in the scandal told investigators that he …

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It’s not much and nothing unexpected but at least it seems that the conclusion is not far away.

If any of the readers of this blog have access to Times Sport, more information shared in comments would be highly appreciated.

This came out today in one of the snooker news feeds I follow. It gives an update about the timing of the hearing and it’s not great. It also features an interview with Tian Pengfei who is, obviously concerned with what the future holds.

Snooker World Championship to clash with match-fixing hearing after delays

A delay to court proceedings will mean the 2023 Snooker World Championship will be played with the fate of 10 Chinese players hanging in the balance after they were charged with match-fixing

This year’s World Championship is set to be overshadowed by the hearing for the 10 Chinese players suspended and charged with match-fixing offences. 

The snooker authorities had hoped to stage the independent tribunal by March, to at least have a chance of the process being tied up before the blue-riband tournament. But delays have seen the provisional scheduled date pushed back until the end of April, with the Crucible extravaganza starting on April 15. 

Ronnie O’Sullivan will be going for a record eighth crown in Sheffield, in an event that is the biggest and best showcase of what the game has to offer. After the hearing there will be time needed for the panel to arrive at their decision, publish the verdicts and agree on sanctions – with then possible appeals to follow. 

…

Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao, Lu Ning, Zhang Jiankang, Chen Zifan, Chang Bingyu and Zhao Jianbo were charged with fixing a match. And former UK champion Zhao Xintong, Liang Wenbo, Li Hang and Bai Langning were charged with being concerned in fixing someone else’s match. 

World Snooker Tour also need the situation resolved as soon as possible with one eye on getting the tour numbers right for next season after the World Championship. Five of the players charged are based at the Di.ng Junhui Snooker Academy in Sheffield, including Zhao Jianbo, 19, and 20-year-olds Bai Langning and Chang Bingyu. 

Senior pro and world No41 Tian Pengfei, 35, also based at Ding’s but not in any way involved, said: “It has been a tough time for the Chinese players, of course the ones suspended and charged – but also the others as well.Tian Pengfei highlighted snooker’s match-fixing scandal as a difficult period for Chinese players—including those who aren’t implicated.

“We came here all feeling really good, over together from China living here and then had the pandemic for two years. Most of us stayed here without going home with the quarantine rules. And the news was of course not good at all. We will have to see in the hearing if some people have made big mistakes.

“It isn’t good for the sport, or any of the players. We know there are many good Chinese players. Some of those suspended have won very big tournaments. And in the recent Welsh Open even without any of the 10 suspended, there were still three Chinese players in the quarter-finals.

“I have been speaking to Ding Junhui, and we have been trying to look after the young players coming up through his academy. I am one of the more senior players now. Ding and I have a responsibility to set an example. We try to do that, but this situation is very tough for snooker across the world and especially in China.

“I do think there will be changes to try and make sure nothing like this will never happens again. Some of the players suspended are very young, and others like Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao have won Triple Crown tournaments. They are superstars in China.

“So it has been a big shock, and it is very sad. I just hope World Snooker do the right things and something good can come out of this.”

This has just been published:

WPBSA Statement | 18 January 2023

Following a detailed investigation by the WPBSA Integrity Unit, working closely with Sportradar, the WPBSA has decided that ten snooker players have a case to answer in respect of the following alleged breaches of the WPBSA Conduct Regulations.

Liang Wenbo has been charged with being concerned in fixing matches and approaching players to fix matches on the World Snooker Tour, seeking to obstruct the investigation and failing to cooperate with the WPBSA investigation.

Li Hang has been charged with being concerned in fixing matches and approaching players to fix matches on the World Snooker Tour, seeking to obstruct the investigation and betting on snooker matches.

Lu Ning has been charged with fixing a match and being concerned in fixing matches and approaching a player to fix a match on the World Snooker Tour, seeking to obstruct the investigation and betting on snooker matches.

Yan Bingtao has been charged with fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour and betting on snooker.

Zhao Xintong has been charged with being concerned in fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour and betting on snooker.

Zhang Jiankang has been charged with fixing a match on the World Snooker Tour, failing to report approaches for him to fix matches and betting on snooker matches.

Chen Zifan has been charged with fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour.

Chang Bingyu and Zhao Jianbo have each been charged with fixing a match on the World Snooker Tour

Bai Langning has been charged with being concerned in fixing a match on the World Snooker Tour.

The players are currently suspended from attending and competing on the World Snooker Tour and in other WPBSA governed events until the conclusion of the hearing or hearings and the determination of this matter.

This matter will be referred to a formal hearing before an Independent Disciplinary Tribunal that will take place at a venue and on a date to be confirmed.

THE WPBSA Conduct Regulations

Part 1 WPBSA Conduct Regulations – Betting Rules 

2. 2. Betting and Corruption Misconduct 

2.1. It shall be a breach of these Rules for a Member to do any of the following: 

2.1.1.    Betting: 

2.1.1.1.   to place, accept, lay or otherwise make a Bet with any other person in relation to the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match in events sanctioned by the WPBSA or its affiliates

2.1.2. Corruption: 

2.1.2.1.  to fix or contrive, or to be a party to any effort to fix or contrive, the, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match 

2.1.2.4.   to solicit, induce, entice, persuade, encourage or facilitate any Member to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 2.1.2.

2.1.4.1.  to engage in any other conduct (ie beyond that specified in paragraph 2.1) that is corrupt or fraudulent, or creates an actual or apparent conflict of interest for the Member, or otherwise risks impairing public confidence in the integrity and/or the honest and orderly conduct of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match

2.1.5. Attempt or complicity: 

2.1.5.1. to attempt to act, or to agree with any other person (whether or not also a Member) to act, or to intentionally give the impression to any other person that the Member is attempting or agreeing to act in breach of these Rules

Part 1 WPBSA Conduct Regulations 

4.2. Any Member becoming aware of an Approach (as defined in clause 4.1 above) being made to another individual shall report such Approach to the WPBSA (via either the Company Secretary, a Tournament Official or the Anti-Corruption Hotline) as soon as reasonably practicable and in any event within 24 hours of becoming aware of such Approach.

4.4  Each Member shall co-operate with the WPBSA in any investigation carried out by the WPBSA under the provisions of these Rules including (but not limited to): 

4.4.1. providing a written statement setting out in detail all of the facts and circumstances with respect to any alleged breach 4.4.2. attending to answer questions and provide such information at a time and place determined by the WPBSA 4.4.3. providing to the WPBSA upon its request any documents, information or any other material of any nature whatsoever held by the Member and 

4.4.4. procuring and providing to the WPBSA upon its request any documents, information or any other material of any nature whatsoever not held by the Member which the Member has the power to obtain and 

4.4.5. providing the WPBSA with access to all records relating to the alleged breach. This includes, but is not limited to; betting accounts, bank records, telephone records, internet service records, social media accounts, email and other records stored on phones, tablets, electronic devices, computer

So… here we are.

Clearly Liang Wenbo and Li Hang should get very lengthy bans if a lifetime ban isn’t a realistic option in law.

I’m not entirely sure what “concerned” means in this context. Does it mean that they were aware of approaches or actual fixing and failed to report?

There are a variety of offences indeed. Apparently, Bai and Zhao Xintong did not fix any match. Chang Bingyu and Zhao Jianbo fixed just one match. The above does not say if they the were or may have been coerced into doing so.

The three older players are also (probably) guilty of obstructing the investigation.

It’s quite awful but at least it’s in the open and hopefully snooker can move on once the hearings are done and their outcome made public.