Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao among 10 players charged in match-fixing investigation

Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao is among 10 players charged over alleged match-fixing in one of the biggest corruption scandals in snooker’s history

Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao is among 10 players to have been charged by snooker’s governing body as an investigation continues into alleged match-fixing.

Yan was one of 10 Chinese players suspended from the World Snooker Tour earlier this month.

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) has confirmed Yan and the nine other players ‘have a case to answer’ over alleged breaches of rules.

Yan Bingtao is among the players to be charged over alleged match fixing

Yan has been charged with fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour and betting on snooker in breach of WPBSA regulations.

Lu Ning, Zhang Jiankang, Chen Zifan, Chang Bingyu and Zhao Jianbo have also been charged with fixing a match or matches.

World No 9 Zhao Xintong, 25, a winner of two ranking events including the 2021 UK Championship, has been charged with being concerned in fixing matches and betting on snooker.

Liang Wenbo, who was the first to be suspended back in October, 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 also 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.’

Bai Langning faces the charge of ‘being concerned in fixing a match on the World Snooker Tour.’