AN investigation into a snooker match in Malvern involving suspended player Stephen Lee has been dropped.

The 38-year-old was banned from competing while the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association probed his Premier League defeat to John Higgins at the town’s Forum Theatre last October, which was cited for suspicious betting patterns.

Lee, however, remains suspended as he faces a Sports Resolutions UK hearing relating to seperate allegations of match-fixing at four tournaments.

There were fears that hearing, for which a date has yet to be set, would have prejudiced the Higgins case.

Regarding the other accusations, it is claimed the Trowbridge-based player, who strongly refutes any wrong-doing, provided information that “is not publicly available” and deliberately influencing “the outcome or conduct of a game or frame”.

Those allegations relate to eight individual matches dating back to 2008 and 2009.