Snooker's biggest match-fixing investigation ever is close to reaching its conclusion - with lifetime bans for players found guilty highly unlikely.
The sport was thrown into chaos at the end of 2022 after eight players were suspended from the World Snooker Tour amidst allegations of offences related to 'manipulating the outcome of matches for betting purposes'.
Chen Zifan became the eighth Chinese player to be barred from competition in December in the match-fixing probe that has rocked the game. World no.93 Chen joined Yan Bingtao, Liang Wenbo, Lu Ning, Li Hang, Bai Langning, Chang Bingyu and Zhao Jianbo on the sidelines during the investigation.
And former Masters champion Yan, the highest-profile player suspended, was replaced in the draw for the prestigious Alexandra Palace tournament that starts next week after his 14-day period to appeal his suspension expired.
Jason Ferguson, the chairman of snooker's governing body the WPBSA, has revealed that, while no details can yet be given, officials are now close to reaching an end to the investigation.
"It’s progressing quickly, we were already quite a long way down the road before I had to take the decision to suspend a number of players," Ferguson told Metro.co.uk. "Watch this space, we’re moving it on as quickly as possible.
"There is no limit on time for suspensions, but there are limits in terms of fairness to the players themselves and to the sport. We want to move this on very, very quickly. We’re pushing as hard as we can because this type of thing is very damaging and we have to prove to the public that it’s dealt with, that we can take swift action."
He added: "As it says in the statements, the suspensions are an investigation into the manipulation of results. That isn’t to say that everyone who’s been suspended is guilty of match-fixing, that’s certainly not what it says."
Former world champion Shaun Murphy urged snooker bosses to hand lifetime bans to those found guilty of match-fixing in the wake of the latest probe. "I think anyone guilty of match-fixing, their existence in the snooker world should be over," Murphy claimed.
But Ferguson appeared to suggest that such punishments were off the table in this case. "Lifetime bans do not stand up in law, quite frankly,’ he said. "I get Shaun’s statement and I understand why he’s so passionate about it, because I feel very strongly about it as well, especially as a former player.
"Every ball you pot must mean something. But we do know from legal advice that lifetime bans do not stack up in court. It’s completely challengeable.
"We have in our rules that players may receive up to a lifetime ban, if found guilty of match-fixing or manipulating results, but there has to be a range."
