Stephen Lee breaks silence on snooker return after end of 12-year ban

Stephen Lee has spoken out about a potential return to World Snooker Tour following his match-fixing ban. The disgraced star was hit with a 12-year suspension in 2014 - backdated to 2013 when his initial suspension started - following an investigation by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), the sport’s rulemakers.

He was found guilty of fixing multiple matches, including one at the World Championship. Lee has now completed his ban, meaning he is eligible to compete in WPBSA-sanctioned events, like Q-School, which he would need to go through to get back on the main World Snooker Tour (WST).

However, in a rare interview, the 51-year-old said he had no intention of returning to the top level, citing the lack of support he received from the WPBSA.

Lee, who is now based in Thailand, told The Hindu: “I’m still able to enjoy playing snooker at a certain level. But I’m not silly enough to think I’m going back after 12 years.

“Twelve years is too long. I’m not prepared to waste any time battling it out in Q School.

“And working again for WPBSA does not appeal to me one bit. WPBSA never did anything for me as an association; they don’t help players.

“I lost my wife two years ago. She never wanted me to go back and play professional snooker. I’ve got zero interest in the World Snooker Tour, I’m going to do other things.”

If Lee did want to return to the game, he would have to settle a £125,000 bill with the WPBSA related to court cases and unsuccessful appeals. The governing body told SnookerHQ: “Stephen Lee would need to reach a satisfactory agreement with the WPBSA over settlement of his costs before he could play.”

Lee got as high as fifth in the world rankings before his ban. He reached a World Championship semi-final and the final of the Masters in 2008, losing to Mark Selby, before his career came crashing down.

A tribunal ruled he deliberately lost matches against Ken Doherty and Marco Fu at the 2008 Malta Cup and agreed to lose the first frame against both Stephen Hendry and Mark King at the 2008 UK Championship.

In addition, Lee lost matches by a predetermined score to Neil Robertson at the 2008 Malta Cup and to Selby at the 2009 China Open. Lee was also found to have conspired to lose his 2009 World Championship first round match to Ryan Day. He lost 10-4.

There has never been any suggestion that any opposing player was aware of Lee’s involvement.

Upon meting out his punishment, the WPBSA said: "The WPBSA has a zero tolerance approach to match fixing and this is further evidence of our uncompromising approach to dealing with such issues.”

His suspension was the most severe sanction handed to a player in the game’s history until the Chinese match-fixing scandal led to Liang Wenbo and Li Hang being given lifetime bans from the sport in 2023. Eight others, including current world champion Zhao Xintong, were given lengthy bans.