Worldwide clampdown finds snooker matches were fixed at European Masters Qualifiers in Leicester

Snooker matches in Leicester are among those found to have been fixed in a world-wide crackdown.

10 players were today (6 June) given lengthy bans for match-fixing, with the two ringleaders Liang Wenbo and Li Hang banned for life.

The investigation uncovered match-fixing at tournaments including last year's European Masters Qualifiers at the Morningside Arena.

On 22 July, Zhang Jiankang lost against Gloucester player Jack Lisowski, Zhang admitted he fixed this match and was given a two year and eleven month ban.

The following day Lu Ning fixed his match against Robert Milkins. Lu was banned for five years and four months.

This was also the day when a plan to fix the outcome of Chen Zifan v Aaron Hill was pulled. Chen admitted he conspired to manipulate the match despite not actually going through with it. He was set to make around £5,000 to £6,000 but ended up with a five year ban

WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson 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.”