Snooker-King banned for five years in match-fixing case

Snooker - williamhill.com UK Championship - York Barbican - 26/11/13 Mark King during the first round Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Lee Smith/File Photo

(Reuters) - Former Northern Ireland Open champion Mark King has been banned from snooker for five years after being found guilty of match fixing, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said on Friday.

An independent disciplinary panel found the 50-year-old 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 ($86,644) in costs.