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By Johanna Gardener •
Published: 15 Nov 2024 • 16:01
• 2 minutes read
Mark King has been suspended from snooker for five years following allegations of match fixing
Credit:X:Markking147
Former world no. 11 Snooker player, Mark King is in the bad books after being suspended for five years from the sport.
In a shocking revelation for his beloved fans, he has been found guilty of match fixing. An independent disciplinary committee found the former Northern Ireland Open champion guilty of one count of match fixing and one count of providing inside information on that match, following the clash with Joe Perry in the Welsh Open, 2023. He has been given a five-year suspension from the sport until March 2028. He has also been ordered to pay up a tremendous £68,299.50 in costs.
King was accused of match fixing in matches against Perry and Higgins
King’s dodgy dealings were revealed following his Welsh Open match against Joe Perry on February 13 2023, where there was evidence of suspicious betting. It was revealed that he had possibly fixed the match against Perry, as well as his match against John Higgins on December 13 2022 and had provided insight on both matches.
The charges against King were made last year but the snooker legend denied them, causing an independent disciplinary committee to take place this year in May in London.
No stone will ever be left unturned, in sport says WPBSA chairman
Following investigation, he was finally only condemned for charges relating to the match with Perry but not with Higgins. He now has until November 28 2024 to contest the decision made about his suspension. In response to the decision, WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson commented: “I have known Mark King since he was very young, he is a very experienced player who has enjoyed great success, and I am deeply saddened to read the finding in this case.” He added: “However, the integrity of this sport will always be our number one priority. This case is testament to the fact that no stone will ever be left unturned in ensuring that the hundreds of millions of snooker fans worldwide, and our many global partners, can have full confidence in this incredible sport.”
The 50-year-old has been a professional snooker player since 1991 and was a top 32-ranked player between 1996 to 2015. At the Northern Ireland Open in 2016, he won his first ranking title and at the Welsh Open, 1997 and the Irish Masters, 2004, he was also in the final.
Snooker legend,King had a World No.11 ranking since 2002/2003 season
In the 2002/2003 season, he reached his career summit with a World No. 11 ranking, gaining access to the last 16 World Championships seven times.
The judicial decision is a stark reminder of the stringent rules in sport and the importance of abiding by them. For fans, the news will come as a shock and of great disappointment but let’s hope that the player’s impeccable sport reputation over the last 23 years will prevail in the minds of snooker fans and protect at least some of King’s integrity.
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Written by
Johanna Gardener
Originally from Manchester, UK and with a degree in English with Modern Foreign Languages, she has been a permanent resident in Spain for the past 12 years. Many of these years, she has spent working as a secondary school teacher, as well as in journalism, editing and marketing. She currently lives in the historic centre of Malaga, where she enjoys writing, walking and animals.
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