**Snooker Prodigy Yan Bingtao Remains Barred Until 2027 Following Match-Fixing Scandal**
Chinese snooker sensation Yan Bingtao, one of the sport’s rising stars in recent years, remains under a lengthy suspension from professional play in the wake of a high-profile match-fixing scandal that engulfed the game in 2023. The controversy, which implicated a group of leading Chinese competitors, saw Yan handed a multi-year ban after authorities uncovered evidence of fixing and betting activity across multiple seasons.
The disciplinary action handed down by snooker’s governing body last June saw ten Chinese players penalised, casting a shadow over one of the most dynamic contingents in the sport. Among those sanctioned, Liang Wenbo and Li Hang received lifetime bans for orchestrating and facilitating rigging operations, including attempts to pressure other players into illicit activity. Meanwhile, recently crowned world champion Zhao Xintong was sidelined for a year and eight months, whilst five others, including the prodigious Yan, continue to serve ongoing suspensions.
Yan was ruled out of the professional snooker tour for five years after an investigation found that he had fixed the outcome of four matches and placed bets on a number of contests between 2016 and 2022. Although his original suspension was set at seven and a half years, his early admission of guilt and cooperation with officials contributed to a reduction in his sentence.
Prior to these events, Yan’s trajectory in the sport appeared nothing short of meteoric. In 2021, he stormed to victory at the Masters, one of snooker’s most coveted titles, during an extraordinary tournament held behind closed doors in Milton Keynes due to pandemic restrictions. During that run, he toppled three former world champions — Neil Robertson, Stuart Bingham, and John Higgins — before claiming the £250,000 winner’s cheque, catapulting himself into global prominence.
Remarkably, Yan achieved this feat at just 20 years of age. He became only the second ever Chinese player to secure the Masters, following in the footsteps of Ding Junhui’s 2011 triumph. In doing so, he also set a record as the youngest Masters champion since Ronnie O’Sullivan achieved the same at 19 in 1995. Such a rapid ascent had led many to tip Yan as a future world champion and one of the brightest hopes in Asian snooker.
The following season, Yan made further headlines at the 2022 World Snooker Championship, ousting four-time champion Mark Selby in the second round and narrowly missing a place in the semi-finals after a closely fought quarter-final with Mark Williams, which he lost 13-11. However, the burgeoning career came to a dramatic halt as the repercussions of the match-fixing enquiry took effect. The 25-year-old now faces a wait until at least the 2028/29 season before he can seek a return to elite competition.
Other players caught up in the scandal have either served their bans or are nearing the end of their restrictions. Notably, Chang Bingyu completed his suspension in December 2024 and mustered an impressive comeback by clinching the Asia-Pacific Championship, securing a return to the professional circuit for the upcoming season. Zhao Jianbo, another figure in the affair, has also wrapped up his ban as of the previous month.
The episode has prompted widespread debate about integrity standards in snooker, as officials aim to rebuild trust and deter future misconduct. The scale and severity of the sanctions imposed signify a clear message that match manipulation will not be tolerated in the sport.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xintong – the world champion affected by the fallout – spoke candidly about his time away from the baize after his own suspension ended last September. He reflected: “I had nearly two years not playing in tour competitions and that’s why I said my first target was to get through qualifying to the Crucible. I can’t believe I went on to be champion, but I am back now and I want to keep going.” Since returning, Zhao has enjoyed a remarkable run of form, registering 47 wins from 49 matches and securing his name firmly among the sport’s top ranks.
As the dust settles on one of snooker’s most turbulent chapters, the cases of Yan Bingtao and his compatriots remain cautionary tales for the global sporting community, highlighting the delicate balance between ambition, integrity, and the high stakes at the heart of professional competition.