Stuart Bingham faces disciplinary hearing over betting on matches - BBC Sport
Former world champion Stuart Bingham is found to have "a case to answer" in relation to betting on snooker.
Last updated on .From the section Snooker

Former world champion Stuart Bingham faces a disciplinary hearing after it was found he has "a case to answer" in relation to betting on snooker.

Bingham admitted to breaking World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) rules on betting on matches involving other players.

The world number three is now awaiting the conclusion of the investigation before he discovers his penalty.

"This was just a case of me not being clear on the rules," said Bingham.

"I did not know I was not allowed to bet on other players' matches. I thought it was just my own I could not bet on, and I have never done that.

"I have nothing to hide on the matter and have co-operated fully with the investigation and I now await the outcome."

The WPBSA confirmed that there was "no suggestion of any match manipulation or corruption in this case".

Bingham was informed in December that allegations were being investigated by Nigel Mawer, the chairman of the WPBSA's disciplinary committee.

And in a follow-up meeting with Mawer in January, Bingham confirmed he had placed accumulator bets on the outcome of other matches, stating he did not know it was against the governing body's rules to do so.

A WPBSA statement said: "Following an investigation into an alleged breach of the WPBSA betting rules by Stuart Bingham, a decision has been taken today that there is a case to answer.

"The matter has now been referred to the WPBSA disciplinary committee where a formal hearing will take place at a venue and date to be confirmed."

It is unlikely that the hearing will take place before this year's World Championship, which gets under way on 15 April, due to the length of the WPBSA's disciplinary process.

Bingham, 40, won the world title in 2015 and claimed his first victory since that Sheffield triumph at last month's Welsh Open.

In January, Alfie Burden was given a six-month ban - suspended for a year - and fined £5,000 for placing bets totalling £25,000 on matches including his own.