Stephen Lee, English snooker player
Stephen Lee (born 12 October 1974) is an English currently banned professional snooker player. He turned professional in 1992 and was ranked in the top 16 between the 1997/1998 and 2007/2008 snooker seasons, reaching a career-high of fifth in the rankings. He won five ranking titles between 1998 and 2006, reached the semi-finals of the 2003 World Championship and the final of the 2008 Masters. Thereafter, his form declined dramatically and as a result he dropped out of the top 16 after a run of eleven consecutive seasons, meaning he would no longer automatically qualify for tournaments. A return to form in the 2011–12 season saw Lee reach two consecutive finals in ranking tournaments and collect his fifth title, as well as regaining his top 16 seeding. Lee is a strong break-builder compiling 184 competitive century breaks during his career, and his smooth cue action is regarded by some pundits as the most natural the game has seen.Lee was suspended from WPBSA competition on 12 October 2012 on match-fixing charges. He was found guilty by an independent tribunal in September 2013 of influencing the outcome of seven matches in 2008 and 2009, and cleared of one charge, when the match was concluded to uninfluenced. He received a twelve-year ban backdated to the start of his suspension and which will run until 12 October 2024.