5.4.07

NO O'SULLIVAN PUNISHMENT BEFORE THE CRUCIBLE

Ronnie O'Sullivan, who walked out of his Maplin UK Championship quarter-final against Stephen hendry in the sixth frame last December, will not have to face the WPBSA's disciplinary committee prior to the 888.com World Championship.

According to my colleague Phil Yates writing in today's Times, it has been decided to hold the hearing after the 17 day Crucible marathon has ended.

This is in marked contrast to the speed in which snooker's governing body moved after O'Sullivan physically assaulted a tournament official during the 1996 World Championship. Back then, it took only a few days to reach a verdict.

Sir Rodney Walker, the WPBSA chairman, has stated that any decision reached on O'Sullivan will be made public, unlike virtually all other WPBSA disciplinary matters.

Walker also vowed 'not to interfere in the disciplinary process in any way' and does not seem to think that sending the committee chairman, Jim McMahon, an email pleading leniency on behalf of O'Sullivan could be construed as trying to influence the result of any hearing.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dave,

If I remember correctly the incident in 1996 with Mike Ganley happened on the Sunday and, after a very quick meeting, didn't O'Sullivan, Hearn et al, hold an impromptu press conference at 12.00am Monday night/Tuesday morning, a full 10 hours before before his quarter-final started against Higgins, where O'Sullivan's fine included a percentage going to charity?

Two years later, O'Sullivan won the Irish Masters in March, then failed a drugs test. A small announcement was made in June. Where he was striped of the title.

I don't understand in a sport that is hardly on-going with changes and matches - unlike football - they take so long. As Rugby Union player, Will Carling, said of the RFU:'Get rid of the old farts!"

Thanks, Joe

Dave H said...

It was pretty swift, John Higgins being the man not knowing whether he would have a quarter-final opponent or not until a few hours before the match

Anonymous said...

Indeed. After the match - which Higgins should have won, missing the blue with the rest, at 12-9 - he and O'Sullivan went on TV for a live interview.

If looks could kill...Higgins was positively steaming, while O'Sullivan was his 'usual' self.

Thanks, Joe

Anonymous said...

Hahaha! Sir Rodney and O'Sullivan big friends, aren't they - they DO deserve each other! So disgusting, so revolting, so WSA!!!...

Anonymous said...

The WSA have not moved quickly and decisively in this situation. I believe that because of this, it almost made a mockery of the Masters final between Ding and Ronnie.

Ding was so upset with the crowd that he was about to concede the match a frame or 2 early. Being an avid snooker fan, I would have been unhappy with this. It looked to me like Ronnie saved the day by persuading Ding not to concede the match early.

I believe that if Ronnie had been punished after the Masters tournament, it would have sent a message to other young players in the game (like Ding) that the WSA will not tolerate insubordination.

BTW, like the Blog, only just found it! :-)

Andy