NBA

Luca Brecel leading player mutiny backed by Ronnie O’Sullivan in ugly legal row

Princess Royal watched snooker championship final, Mark Selby says

World champion Luca Brecel, Mark Selby and John Higgins are leading a player mutiny after handing an embarrassing snub to snooker bosses, while also retaining support from snooker icon Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Four-time world champions Selby and Higgins plus the reigning Crucible king Brecel – along with Ali Carter and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh – have shunned this month’s official Northern Ireland Open.

Despite threats of legal action from World Snooker Tour, the five decided not to play in Belfast and opted instead for a lucrative exhibition event in Macau.

READ MORE WST reply to Ronnie O’Sullivan rant as Rocket tells chiefs to move tour to China[INSIGHT]

WST bosses sent first emails and then strongly-worded letters claiming if the players took part in Macau they would be breaching contracts, harming the game and facing disciplinary action.

But lawyers representing the players reckon the threats are baseless since they did not enter the Northern Ireland event, and believe they are just doing what they want on their own time.

And world No1 O’Sullivan, himself playing in a Shanghai exhibition this month, has backed the ‘Macau Five’ – describing WST’s stance as “b******s, trying to scare players like that”.

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

DON’T MISS
Ronnie O’Sullivan fires warning to Allen and Brecel in world No 1 battle[LATEST]
Ronnie O’Sullivan says UK ‘falling apart’ and wants World Championship moved[NEWS]
Kyren Wilson clarifies British Open viewers’ confusion after wearing glove[REACTION]

Many of the players involved are furious over what they see as heavy-handed tactics.

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.

A WST spokesperson said: “WST does not publicly discuss private conversations with the players, or share contractual information.”

Source: Read Full Article