English snooker player Mark King handed five-year ban for match-fixing

An independent disciplinary panel found the English player guilty of one count of match-fixing and sharing inside information about the same match. He has also been ordered to pay 68,299 pounds in costs.

King was suspended by the sport’s world governing body in March last year after suspicious betting was reported on his match against Joe Perry on February 13th, 2023 at the Welsh Open.

He was accused of fixing both the Perry match and another against John Higgins in December 2022, along with providing inside information used for betting. The charges related to the Higgins match were dismissed.

No other players were accused. King, who denied the charges, has until November 28th to appeal the ruling. Perry and Higgins were not accused of any wrongdoing.

"I have known Mark since he was young, he is a very experienced player who has enjoyed great success, and I am deeply saddened to read the finding in this case," WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson said in a statement.

"However, the integrity of this sport will always be our number one priority."