Shaun Murphy reveals ‘mixed feelings’ on snooker match-fixing probe – ‘Two life bans out of 10 not enough’

Shaun Murphy believes the sport’s match-fixing probe has not gone far enough in dealing with the players guilty of “cheating” the public.

2021 Masters champion Yan Bingtao cannot return until December 2027 at the earliest after having a ban of seven years and six months reduced to five years for early admission and a guilty plea. He also has to pay £7,500 in costs. He accepted charges of fixing four snooker matches he played in and betting on matches,

Former UK and German Masters champion Zhao Xintong can make a competitive comeback in September next year after being found guilty of being party to another player fixing two snooker matches and betting on matches between 2019 and 2022.

“But I was told months ago that life bans were almost unobtainable, and totally unrealistic and not achievable, that it couldn’t happen.

“So given it has happened, it then got into splitting hairs over what level of cheating is worse than another level.

“If we lose the trust of the public, who pays money to watch us play, and if we lose that integrity, we have nothing. These players have abused the trust placed in them.

“So for me two life bans out of 10 wasn’t enough and some of them should count themselves very, very lucky. Life bans is the only stick to hit these people with.”

Six other players were hit with a range of bans for their involvement – Lu Ning (five years, four months), Chen Zifan (five years), Zhang Jiankang (two years, 11 months), Bai Langning (two years, eight months), Zhao Jianbo (two years, four months) and Chang Bingyu (two years) – as the independent commission found “no evidence of a wider culture of wrongdoing” in the corruption probe.

“This getting two and a half years reduced to 18 months for coming clean… It’s too soft and too lenient, and doesn’t pose enough of a deterrent. Some could be playing again in two or three years,” said world No. 7 Murphy, who also wonders why the police have not yet made this a criminal case.

“If you are Liang Wenbo and been found guilty of A, B and C, you are banned for life. But if you are someone else who cheated and fixed a match and lost on purpose, then you get four or five years.

“I would have liked to keep it simple. If you are involved in match-fixing in any way, then you have no place in the sport – ever.

“You get a third off just for pleading guilty – but you’ve still done it in the first place. So several of these players should be thankful it wasn’t up to me.

“Because if it had been me, anyone guilty of fixing a match we would never have seen again. And on that basis, a few of them could be seen as fortunate, even if I’m sure they don’t see it like that.”

FULL LIST OF BANS

• Liang Wenbo has been given a lifetime [ban] from snooker and is to pay £43,000 in costs.
• Li Hang has been given a lifetime [ban] from snooker and is to pay £43,000 in costs.
• Lu Ning has been given an 8 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 5 years and 4 months until 6 April 2028. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
• Yan Bingtao has been given a 7 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and plea of guilty, to 5 years until 11 December 2027. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
• Zhao Xintong has been given a 2 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 1 year and 8 months until 1 September 2024. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
• Zhao Jianbo has been given a 3 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 4 months until 7 April 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
• Chang Bingyu has been given a 3 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years until 7 December 2024. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
• Bai Langning has been given a 4 year suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 8 months until 6 August 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
• Chen Zifan has been given a 7 year and 6 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 5 years until 20 December 2027. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.
• Zhang Jiankang has been given a 4 year and 5 months suspension, reduced following early admissions and his plea of guilty, to 2 years and 11 months until 1 December 2025. He is to pay £7,500 in costs.