Britain's Lee found guilty of match-fixing
LONDON (Reuters) - Former world number five snooker player Stephen Lee could face a life ban after being found guilty of match-fixing. "Stephen Lee is found guilty of 'agreeing an arrangement... (and of) ...accepting or receiving or offering to receive... payment or... other... benefit... in connection with influencing the outcome or conduct of' each of the seven matches in breach of Rule 2.9," the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said on Monday. A hearing will take place on September 24 to decide on the punishment for Briton Lee. "The WPBSA have a zero tolerance approach to match-fixing," chairman Jason Ferguson said in a statement. "His future participation in the sport is now in real doubt as he will face a significant sanction." Lee was accused of giving inside information to associates, who then bet on the basis of it and passed it to others in their group to do the same. The 38-year-old had denied the allegations which related to seven matches played in 2008 and 2009, including one at the world championship. Lee has won five ranking tournaments since turning professional in 1992 but has been suspended by the WPBSA since October 2012, when ranked eighth in the world. (Reporting by Alison Wildey, editing by Ed Osmond)
