Mark King was banned from snooker for five years for match-fixing.

King was given a five-year ban from the sport, lasting until March 2028, and a £68,299.50 costs order.

He was suspended on 18 March 2023 after suspicious betting was recorded during his Welsh Open match against Joe Perry on 13 February 2023.

An investigation followed and concluded that King had a case to answer to fix his match against Perry and his match against John Higgins on December 13, 2022, and provide inside information on both.

King denied the charges and an independent disciplinary committee heard the case in London from 7 to 9 May 2024.

Charges relating to the match against Higgins were dismissed, but Higgins was found guilty of violating the rules in the match against Perry.

King has the right to appeal the decision of the independent disciplinary board until November 28, 2024.

“I have known Mark King since he was very young, he is a very experienced player who has achieved great success, and I am deeply saddened to read the findings in this case,” said WPBSA President Jason Ferguson.

“But the integrity of this sport will always be our number one priority. This case is proof that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that the hundreds of millions of snooker fans around the world and our many global partners have full confidence in this incredible sport.”

King, 50, turned professional in 1991 and was a top 32 player from 1996 to 2015.

He won his first ranking title at the Northern Ireland Open in 2016 and reached the finals of two other tournaments, the 1997 Welsh Open and the 2004 Irish Masters.

King rose to a career-high 11th place in the world rankings in the 2002/03 season and reached the last 16 of the World Championships seven times.