Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao was suspended from the World Snooker Tour on Monday, bringing to seven the number of Chinese players suspended in recent weeks by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WBPSA), the association said.
The first of the seven players to be sanctioned pending an investigation into match fixing was Liang Wenbo, 52nd in the world rankings (WS-52).
He was suspended on 27 October, for what the WBPSA said at the time was “misconduct,” without giving any further explanation.
On Friday, similar sanctions were imposed on Lu Ning (WS-41), Li Hang (WS-62), Chang Bingyu (WS-77), Bai Langning (WS-127) and Zhao Jianbo.
Twenty-two-year-old Yan Bingtao, who is No. 16 in the world, suffered the same fate on Monday.
It now appears that all seven players are suspected of involvement in match-fixing for gambling purposes. They have been suspended with immediate effect until the investigation is completed.
This could take several months, but the players have the right to appeal their suspension, the association said.
