Mark King has been banned from professional snooker for five years and fined £68,000 after being found guilty of match fixing.
The former world No.11 was a fixture of the game’s top 32 from 1996 to 2015 but earlier this year he was suspended from the World Snooker Tour year pending an investigation, after ‘irregular betting patterns’ were reported to the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPSBA). They relate to his match with Joe Perry at the 2023 Welsh Open, which King lost 4-0.
The 50-year-old denied the charges but a disciplinary committee have found him guilty of one count of match fixing and one count of providing inside information on the match. A statement from the governing body reads: “The Independent Disciplinary Committee has delivered its decision on the case of the WPBSA and Mark King. He has been found guilty of one count of match fixing and one count of providing inside information on that match. He has been suspended from the sport for five years and to pay £68,299.50 in costs.”
The two other charges levelled at King, relating to his match with John Higgins in December 2022, were dismissed.
Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond. You can also follow our dedicated Rangers and Celtic podcast pages and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We’ve also entered the world of WhatsApp with our Rangers community and Celtic community up and running. Follow NOW to get your club’s latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone.