STEPHEN LEE has returned to snooker following a 12-year ban from competition.
The Wiltshire native, 50, received the ban in 2013 when he was found guilty of match fixing.
The disgraced competitor was banned for 12 years after he was deemed to have fixed matches[/caption]
The charges came in relation to seven matches in 2008 and 2009, including one at the World Championships.
Lee was adjudged to have accepted thousands of pounds in exchange for influencing the outcome of matches.
But the five-time ranking event winner’s ban expired last October, leaving him free to return to the table.
Now he has finally made his return through an event with the Billiard Sports Association of Thailand.
He played in an exhibition match earlier this month against former world number three James Wattana.
Lee showed that he still had some of his class, beating Wattana two frames to one, and garnering praise from viewers.
One fan said: “Stephen can still play. Still got that wonderful cue action.”
Lee made his return by beating James Wattana 2-1 in an exhibition match[/caption]
One commentor on YouTube praised both players, and suggested Lee still has what it takes to compete on the World Snooker Tour.
“2 brilliant players still. I’d love to see how Stephen Lee would get on if he was back on tour.
“He still has much more class than the other Q-School regulars.”
Lee has twice held a top five ranking during his peak in the early 2000s.
He has been keeping his skills sharp during his ban by teaching aspiring players in China.
He would have another run-in with the law when he was caught up in an immigration raid in Hong Kong and was found to be working illegally in 2018.