Stephen Lee is one of the greatest snooker talents over the last 30 years. He turned professional in 1992 and achieved 5 ranking tournament wins and 2 non-ranking tournament wins. Stephen reached a career high of World Ranking No. 5 and it was the period between 2000 and 2005 where he was a dominant force within the game reached the World Championship Semi-Finals. Stephen is renowned for his "Rolls Royce cue-action" with many regarding him as having the best cue-action in the world.
In October 2012, the World Snooker Association suspended Stephen due to irregular betting patterns in several matches involving Stephen in 2008 and 2009. A tribunal found that Stephen was guilty of match fixing and received a 12 year ban from WSA events running through to his 50th birthday (October 2024). Stephen appealed the decision, challenging the independence of the chairman and the guilty verdict itself. The appeal was dismissed and Stephen's costs spiraled from the original £30,000 to the £150,000 it is today.
Since the ban, Stephen has spent time coaching children in China and Hong Kong. And Stephen's son Alfie Lee is now a 20 year old amateur player and is close to gaining a place on the professional tour.
It is the aim of this crowd funder project to raise awareness of Stephen's outstanding debts, aiming to clear them with World Snooker and pave the way for Stephen to make a comeback into the game. We have been denied of Stephen's brilliance over the last 12 years. Watch the video... Stephen has still got an incredible technique and it would be amazing if we can get him back on the professional tour again!