Two Chinese snooker players, Yu Delu and Cao Yupeng, have been banned from the sport after being found guilty of match-fixing.
Yu, the world No 52, has been banned for 10 years and nine months after an inquiry discovered he manipulated the outcome of five matches over a two-and-a-half-year period. The 31-year-old will serve the longest suspension since the English player Stephen Lee received a 12-year ban in 2013.
Cao, who is ranked 44 in the world, has been banned for six years although three and a half years of his punishment are suspended. He was found to have fixed three different matches.
Both players were investigated by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) before an independent tribunal ruled on the outcomes.
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Yu Delu admitted fixing in five matches between 2015 and 2017:
- His 4-3 victory over Martin McCrudden in the Indian Open qualifiers on 12 February 2015
- His 4-1 defeat against Dominic Dale in the Paul Hunter Classic in Germany on 29 August 2015
- His 4-3 Welsh Open win against Ian Glover on 15 January 2016
- His 4-1 loss to Michael Georgiou in the European Masters qualifiers on 4 August 2017
- His 5-3 Shanghai Masters defeat to Kurt Maflin on 15 November 2017
Cao Yupeng admitted fixing in three matches during 2016:
- His 4-1 Welsh Open defeat to Ali Carter on 15 January
- His 4-0 defeat to Stuart Bingham in the Indian Open qualifiers on 30 June
- His 6-1 loss UK Championships loss to Stephen Maguire on 24 November
Jason Ferguson, chairman of the WPBSA , said: “It is very sad when talented players are attracted to the opportunity to make money from fixing matches. The WPBSA has very effective prevention and monitoring processes that protect the sport. Where players ignore this, they risk their careers and they will be caught.
“Cao Yupeng has shown true remorse and he will assist the WPBSA in player education and in its fight against corruption, which is reflected in his reduced sanction. The sanctions handed down to these players by the Independent Tribunal reflect how seriously the WPBSA treats such cases. This was a lengthy and difficult enquiry for which the Tribunal commended the WPBSA for its skill and professionalism in the investigation and presentation of the case.”
In October Jamie Jones was suspended from the World Snooker tour pending a disciplinary hearing over allegations he was involved in match-fixing. The Welshman, who reached the last eight of world championship in 2012, was alleged to have been “party to, or facilitated, the manipulation of the outcome” of a match between David John and Graeme Dott at Preston’s International Championship Qualifiers on 29 September 2016. John, who lost the match 6-1, was suspended in May.