Mark King has been banned from snooker for five years and fined more than £68,000 after he was found guilty of match-fixing.
The Englishman has been found guilty by an independent disciplinary committee of one count of match fixing and one count of providing inside information on a match.
King, who denied the charges, has until November 28 to appeal. Should his ban be upheld, it will run until March 17, 2028. He also been ordered to pay £68,299.50 in costs.
The 50-year-old was suspended by the sport’s governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), in March 2023 after suspicious betting was reported on his 4-0 first-round defeat to Joe Perry at the Welsh Open.
There were also accusations that King had fixed a match against John Higgins in December 2022, one he lost 4-1 at the English Open, as well as provided inside information on it. However, those charges were dismissed.
WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson said: "The global expansion of this sport brings with it great responsibility, both for our players and for the WPBSA as the sport's world governing body.
"I have known Mark King since he was very young, he is a very experienced player who has enjoyed great success, and I am deeply saddened to read the finding in this case.
"However, the integrity of this sport will always be our number one priority.
"This case is testament to the fact that no stone will ever be left unturned in ensuring that the hundreds of millions of snooker fans worldwide, and our many global partners, can have full confidence in this incredible sport."
