Liang Wenbo's tour spot in doubt after conviction for assaulting woman

Liang Wenbo's status on the world snooker tour is under review after the former UK Championship runner-up was fined for assaulting a woman in Sheffield.

Liang was fined a total of £1,380 and given a 12-month community order at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Friday for a "domestic-related assault", the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

The 35-year-old, who is currently ranked 33rd in the world, pleaded guilty to assault by beating at an earlier hearing, after CCTV footage caught him hitting and kicking a woman in the street in a "sustained and deliberate" attack.

In a statement, the sport’s governing body, the WPBSA, cast doubt over Liang’s position. He is scheduled to compete in the qualifying rounds for this year’s World Championship in Sheffield next week.

"Wenbo has clearly been charged and found guilty of a serious offence," read the statement.

"We were not aware of this incident and are very disappointed to read of such matters.

"While we read that Wenbo has already been sentenced for this offence, we will now consider the position from our sport’s disciplinary perspective. Again, we are extremely disappointed to read this news today."

Liang reached the UK final in 2015, losing to Neil Robertson, and won his solitary ranking title at the English Open the following year.