The matches that saw Stephen Lee banned from snooker for 12 years

Stephen Lee was banned from snooker for 12 years after being found guilty of seven charges of match-fixing. But which matches resulted in his initial ban?

The 50-year-old former world number five could potentially make a return to competitive action after his 12-year ban from snooker came to an end on October 12, 2024.

That being said, should he attempt a return to the World Snooker Tour, he would have to go through Q-School to earn his tour card, with any ranking points he earned prior to his ban being wiped.

On top of that, Lee owes the WPBSA a sum of £125,000 in legal fees related to the court cases and unsuccessful appeals from a decade ago, according to SnookerHQ.

A spokesperson for the WPBSA told the publication: “Stephen Lee would need to reach a satisfactory agreement with the WPBSA over settlement of his costs before he could play.”

Back in 2012, Lee was banned from competing in, or even attending, any WPBSA-affiliated tournament for 12 years.

It all started after reports emerged from two bookmakers of illegal betting patterns surrounding a match in the 2012 Premier League against John Higgins, which Lee lost 4-2.

The WPBSA began investigating the match, and subsequently brought charges relating to seven further matches against Lee, including one at the 2009 World Championship.

The hearing into those charges – minus any charges relating to the Premier League match, which the WPBSA did not proceed with – took place in September.

Lee was found guilty of influencing the outcome of seven matches in 2008 and 2009.

WPBSA concluded that one of the matches being investigated – a 2008 Malta Cup group stage match – was not fixed.

However, he was found guilty of 'accepting payment to influence the outcome of a match' for seven other matches, including his 10-4 defeat to Ryan Day at the 2009 World Snooker Championship.

Image credit: Getty

The tribunal concluded that he was 'working with three different groups, who were betting on multiple platforms and the exact score and frame outcomes for matches he played in those tournaments'.

As per BBC Sport, the tribunal concluded that he deliberately lost matches against Ken Doherty and Marco Fu at the 2008 Malta Cup, and agreed to lose the first frame against Stephen Hendry and Mark King at the 2008 UK Championship.

It was also concluded that Lee lost matches by a predetermined score against Neil Robertson at the 2008 Malta Cup, and his 2009 China Open match against Mark Selby.

Finally, it was concluded that he conspired to lose the aforementioned World Championship match against Ryan Day.

There was no suggestion that any other player was aware of Lee's involvement.

Lee would later appeal against the 'finding of the tribunal, the sanction and the costs awarded', but it was dismissed in May 2014.