Liang Wenbo and Li Hang given lifetime bans by WPBSA

Both players have been ordered by the independent WPBSA Disciplinary Commission to pay £43,000 in costs and will never be allowed back onto the tour, pending the outcome of any future appeals.

Yan Bingtao, winner of the Masters in 2021, has been banned for five years following 'early admissions and plea of guilt', a sentence reduced from seven and a half, while Zhao Xintong's ban was reduced from two and a half years to 20 months for the same reason.

Lu Ning's ban is four months longer than that of Yan, with Zhao Jianbo, Chang Bingyu, Bai Langling, Chen Zifan and Zhang Jiankang also receiving bans of varying lengths.

Jason Ferguson, WPBSA chairman, said: "This has been a very complex case. It has been heartbreaking 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 respondents have until June 20 to appeal the decisions of the Disciplinary Commission.

Full list of individual sanctions

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.