England’s Stephen Lee was give a record 12-year ban on Wednesday after being found guilty of seven charges of match-fixing, snooker’s world governing body announced.
Lee, 38, the former world number five, was found guilty by an independent tribunal last week of match-fixing charges relating to seven matches in 2008 and 2009 with the sanction imposed Wednesday.
“The suspension is to be calculated from 12 October 2012, when the interim suspension was imposed. Therefore Lee will not be able to participate in snooker before 12 October 2024,” said the sport’s global governing body.
‘Longest ban handed down’The world body had been seeking a life ban but disciplinary chief Nigel Mawer insisted a 12-year-punishment was effectively the same thing as he thought it unlikely Lee would return to top-level snooker. “To my knowledge this is the longest ban ever handed down and there are £40,000 costs to pay too if he ever wants to come back,” Mawer said.