Stephen Lee could return this year, according to The Sun. The discredited star, once loved by Chinese fans, is expected to return to the pool table after a 12-year ban.
Stephen Lee has been banned for 12 years for manipulating the game
In 2013, Stephen Lee was sentenced to a lengthy ban on seven counts of match-fixing.
He was affectionately known as "Fat Lee" for his fat stature and adorable demeanor, and his admirable and extremely cool strokes became legendary.
The former world number five was fined £40,000 for breaches between 2008 and 2009.
Now, however, with no club in his hand, he is waiting for the time to return to the sport he once desecrated.
Stephen Lee, who is currently 49, will end his ban in October, meaning he is expected to compete in WPBSA events again.
Regarding the return, Fat Lee said: "Every week, every day, every minute, someone asks this question (about the return). I'm still playing as good as I can. ”
It is reported that during the ban, Fat Lee's life was not rich, he relied on teaching in the club to make ends meet, and was even prosecuted for teaching illegally in Hong Kong, China, without a work permit.
Scottish legend John Higgins "The Wizard" said the Croatian world would welcome Lee's return "with open arms": "If he ends his suspension and decides to come back, we will not hesitate to welcome him. He's a very good player. I have no doubt about that. ”
In the observation of the International Taiwan Federation, there does not seem to be good expectations for Lee Stephen's return.
The moment the ban was lifted, it coincided with his 50th birthday, and in those 12 long years, he barely set foot in official competition.
This period of silence may have disqualified him from competing at the top level.
Nigel, the head of discipline of the International Taiwan Federation, said frankly: "Although we lifted the ban on him, in fact, it is almost equivalent to a lifetime ban. Because I don't think it's possible for Stephen Lee to reintegrate into the sport at a high level. ”
The silence of this time made Lee Stephen so strange on the chess stage.
Perhaps it was this strangeness that brought a special footnote to his 50th birthday, reintroducing him to this field of competition and challenge. And it is this strangeness that makes people full of doubts about whether he can climb to the top again.
The attitude of the International Taiwan Federation seems to reveal a trace of doubt, doubting whether he can still maintain the high standards of the past.
Nigel was blunt about the player: "A 12-year ban actually means a lifetime ban. I can't imagine Stephen Lee ever able to step back into the arena at a high level. ”
Fatty's comeback is not only a big news in the sports world, but also a dramatic comeback.
It remains to be seen whether he will start again with a more mature and determined attitude and write a new chapter in his career.