Liang Wenbo and Li Hang have been banned from snooker for life after an investigation into match-fixing charges.

Eight other Chinese players have been suspended for between five years and four months, in the case of Lu Ning, to one year and eight months for Zhao Xintong.

Yan Bingtao, Chen Zifan, Zhang Jiankang, Bai Langning, Zhao Jianbo and Chang Bingyu are the other players banned.

Jason Ferguson, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, said: “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 (Liang and Li).

“This behaviour has been recognised as wholly unacceptable by the imposition of two lifetime bans from participating in recognised snooker in any way.

“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.”

Liang was found to have fixed or been a party to fix five snooker matches between July 24 and September 28, 2022 and to have solicited, induced, enticed, persuaded, encouraged, or facilitated players to fix nine matches between July 24 and December 13, 2022.

The WPBSA also found that between September 1, 2019 and December 31, 2022 he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules and 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.

Liang Wenbo File Photo
Liang Wenbo was found to have fixed, or been a party to fix, five matches in 2022 (George Wood/PA)

When aware of the WPBSA enquiry, Liang was also found to have covered up or attempted to cover up his involvement in match-fixing by deleting messages on his phone and by requesting other players deleted messages.

Li has been found to be in breach of the regulations as he fixed or was a party to fix five snooker matches between July 24 and September 29, 2022.

The WPBSA also found he solicited, induced, enticed, persuaded, encouraged or facilitated players to fix seven snooker matches between July 24 and December 13, 2022, that he bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules and on or after September 1, 2022 when aware of the WPBSA enquiry, covered up or attempted to cover up his involvement in match-fixing.

The other players all accepted fixing matches except for Zhao Xintong, who accepted that he was a party to another player fixing two matches and that he had bet on snooker matches.