Snooker chief blasts O’Sullivan’s ‘unacceptable’ comments in China
Walker, who confirmed the governing body’s disciplinary committee are investigating the incident, expressed his apologies to tournament officials and members of the public after the latest in a series of controversies caused by the mercurial potter.
World Snooker are reviewing a video in which the two-time world champion made sexual innuendoes and suggestive comments in front of the assembled media in Beijing.
In footage posted on the internet, O’Sullivan can be heard making sexual references towards journalists.
The Englishman’s comments came in between questioning following his surprise 5-4 defeat to Hong Kong’s Marco Fu in the last 32 stage of this season’s £250,000 (e315,500) tournament.
While a Chinese translator was taking questions from the press, O’Sullivan looked bored and then brandished a hand-held microphone suggestively. He then made a further sexual reference and began laughing.
World Snooker chairman Walker said in a statement: “I have been made aware of the video of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s press conference on Wednesday night.
“I arrived in Beijing this morning and immediately viewed the footage.
“In my opinion, Ronnie O’Sullivan’s behaviour was unacceptable. The matter has been referred to the WPBSA Disciplinary Committee and is under review.’’
This latest incident is not the first time O’Sullivan has been in trouble with World Snooker.
In May last year the Chigwell-based professional was fined £21,000 (e26,500) for walking out of his Maplin UK Championship quarter-final with Scotland’s Stephen Hendry.
Nine years prior to that a youthful O’Sullivan was fined £30,000 for assaulting a snooker official — and then in 1998 the 32-year-old also failed a drug test, testING positive for cannabis. He was subsequently stripped of his Irish Masters title.
Meanwhile, Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy will face each other in the semi-finals of the China Open.
The other last-four clash in the will see Glaswegian Stephen Maguire take on Wales’ Ryan Day.
Selby again proved a thorn in the side of John Higgins as he sent the world champion crashing out with an impressive 5-2 win.
And there was success too for former world champion Murphy as he dispensed with Irishman Mark Allen in a confident 5-3 victory at the Beijing Sports Gymnasium.
Allen had breaks of 56, 54 and 62, and led early on having won the opener.
But Murphy was in determined mood and, with breaks of 43, 53, 52, 59, 46, 82 and 64, he powered into a fifth ranking-event semi-final in a row.
Selby was in excellent form to dump out world number one Higgins — his conqueror at the World Championship final in May last year.
Higgins had breaks of 55 and 127, but Selby stayed on course for back-to-back ranking titles with runs of 74, 50, 67, 76 and 106, triumphing in just 90 minutes.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
