Ronnie O’Sullivan in hot water once again at the Crucible

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s often tumultuous relationship with his sport took another bizarre twist yesterday when he was told he will be disciplined for failing to fulfil media duties after his 10-7 first-round win over David Gilbert at the World Snooker Championships in Sheffield.

O’Sullivan turned a 6-3 overnight lead into a relatively comfortable triumph over the dogged world number 65 before a World Snooker official confirmed the five-time champion’s no-show, which is in breach of his contractual obligations.

In a statement, World Snooker said: “All players have a responsibility to the sport, and in particular to their fans. This includes fulfilling media obligations at events. Any players found to be in breach of these rules will be referred to the disciplinary process.”