The World Snooker Tour went to war on Tuesday night with five of its own players by threatening them with legal action if they take part in a non-sanctioned event in Macau.
Four-time world champions Mark Selby and John Higgins, this year’s Crucible winner Luca Brecel, Ali Carter and Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh have all snubbed the WST’s Northern Ireland Open to take part in the money-spinning exhibition in China.
And the WST has now warned the stars that they would be breaching their contracts if they went ahead and played in Macau and could be fined or banned.
They said: ‘Given the exhibition event in Macau directly clashes with the final stages of the Northern Ireland Open, a player’s participation in it would constitute a breach of their player contract.
‘As a result, if these players decide to participate in the exhibition in Macau, the WST will have no alternative but to refer them to the WPBSA Disciplinary Committee for breach of their player contract.’
An exhibition in Macau, described as China’s Las Vegas, has caused a rift between its stars and the tour
Four-time world champion Mark Selby is one of five players leading a players mutiny
Both John Higgins (left) and world champion Luca Brecel have shunned the Northern Ireland Open
World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan, himself playing in a Shanghai exhibition this month, has backed the ‘Macau Five’ – describing WST’s stance as ‘b*ll*cks, trying to scare players like that’.
Lawyers representing the players claim the threats from WST are baseless because they have not entered the tournament – so haven’t pulled out of any WST events and are heading to Macau in their own time.
Experts say the tournament in Belfast has been ‘decimated’ due to the game’s biggest stars opting for an exhibition in Macau, known as the ‘Las Vegas of the East’. Qualifying for the Northern Ireland Open also clashes with another event in Shanghai due to be attended by Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, Mark Williams and others.
The tensions lay bare the crisis at the heart of the sport, as tour events battle against the huge sums of cash offered to stars just to turn up and play in China.
Many of the players involved are furious over what they see as heavy-handed tactics. Part-organiser Victoria Shi, owner of a Sheffield academy, has also been threatened with action.
Selby, who has suffered badly with mental health issues in recent years, is understood to have requested he receive no further correspondence on the matter.
This comes with another highly-paid unofficial event featuring O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, Mark Williams, Jack Lisowski and Ding Junhui looming even sooner this month in Shanghai.
The Shanghai exhibition takes place during the Northern Ireland Open qualifying event. Top-16 players involved could still appear at the final stages given their opening rounds are held over.
But WST were also unhappy with big names playing this event – believing it will leave the qualifiers in the shade. They originally banned the players from taking part – before softening their stance.
And they issued similarly threatening letters to players insisting they keep all involvement in Shanghai quiet demanding a social media and news blackout – and participation in Belfast, for which only Williams is confirmed.
The player-power situation presents a huge challenge for the governing body going forward, with big-name stars openly flouting their authority – and lawyers no doubt licking their lips.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has backed the players’ mutiny and criticised the WST for scaring players
With Chinese tournaments back in the calendar this season after three years following the Covid pandemic, WST had been hoping for a smoother ride in 2023-24.
But after those years of reduced earnings new opportunities are opening up in the Far and Middle East. Players want to cash in – leading to the current row.
And events of the week have highlighted a chasm between the best players and the game’s rulers. There has even been hushed talk of a boycott of January’s prestigious Masters.
O’Sullivan has been among those fiercely critical of some aspects of the way the tour is organised, the venues used in the UK, and the treatment of the players outside Asia.
He has even in the past suggested the possibility of a breakaway tour – which today sounds less fanciful than it did.
WST were accused earlier this year of attempting to gag players and bar them speaking to the media about a large meeting discussing the future of the sport.
But on this occasion it appears any similar attempts have backfired, with the players involved calling WST’s bluff over both Macau and Shanghai.
O’Sullivan, the sport’s biggest draw, has led calls for players to be able to maximise their earnings.
On the Shanghai exhibition, he said: ‘There is absolutely no reason to try and stop me and other players going to Shanghai during the Northern Ireland qualifiers.
O’Sullivan will himself be playing in a lucrative Shanghai exhibition later this month
‘That is a small event, we are not involved, and we could still play in the final stages with our matches being held over.
‘Players are just trying to earn money, it is their choice. And they are realising their value. They are trying to restrict us. Those involved in Shanghai were sent letters advising them not to play.
‘I know for the tournament in Macau players were also sent even stronger threatening letters telling them it was in breach of their contract.
‘That with an opportunity to play in an official tournament they were turning it down and choosing to go somewhere else, and it was damaging for the sport.
‘It is b*ll*cks, trying to scare players like that. It’s wrong and I am glad they have taken a strong stance.
‘This is about players being able to earn what they can, and choose how and when they play. They can enter a tournament – but they don’t have to.
‘They used to try and tell me what to say, until I got a really good lawyer who kicked back at them. If they want to play silly games, we can all play silly games.’
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