Stephen Lee has spoken โpublicly for the firstโ time as hisโข 12-year ban from professionalโฃ snooker ended, expressing his eagerness to โreturn to the โsport. The former world number nine was suspended inโฃ 2012 after โbeing found guilty of match-fixing,a scandal that rocked the world of snooker.
Lee’s return marks a meaningful moment โฃforโ both the player and the sport, coming after a period ofโค increased scrutiny regarding integrity within professionalโ snooker. His ban was the most severe sanction inโข the game’s history at the time, surpassed only by the lifetime bans handed to Liang Wenbo and Li Hang inโ 2023 following a separate match-fixing inquiry involvingโ multiple โขChinese players, including reigning โขworld champion Zhao โฃXintong.
The WPBSA, the โgoverning body for professional snooker, confirmed โthe end of lee’s suspension, allowing him โขto reapply forโ membership โand compete on the professional circuit. Upon issuingโค the original punishment, theโ WPBSA statedโ its “zeroโ tolerance approach to match fixing and this is further evidence of our uncompromising approach to dealing with suchโ issues.”
Lee was found to โฃhave fixed seven matches in 2009,โข receiving aโ penalty of โคยฃ21,000 and being stripped of his โranking prize โขmoney. Heโ has maintained a low profile throughout his ban, but now appears resolute to rebuild his career. Details of his โขimmediate playing schedule have not yet been announced, โbut hisโข return will undoubtedly be closely watched by โคfans and fellow professionals alike.