Five players face being 'fined, banned or thrown out' over Macau event, says Barry Hearn

11/10/2023 08:10

Five players have been threatened with significant disciplinary action by World Snooker Tour if they choose to play in a big-money exhibition in Macau over the upcoming Northern Ireland Open, a ranking event held in Belfast.

Current world champion Luca Brecel, former Crucible kings Mark Selby and John Higgins, and both Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Ali Carter planned to miss the Northern Ireland Open to play in Macau later this month.

The players were warned that they were breaching their contracts with WST by playing in a non-sanctioned event during a professional tournament and now that threat has been confirmed.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, WST confirmed: ‘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, and this has been clearly communicated to the players.’

Former World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn, who is now the honorary president, slammed the players in question and warned them that a fine, ban or even expulsion could follow.

‘Players can give their side, and it almost sounds like they are being bullied,’ Hearn told The Mirror. ‘Every player has the choice whether to play in an event or not, there is no bullying whatsoever. But these players are under contract.

‘You don’t have to enter or play the Northern Ireland Open. But you are not allowed to play in something else.

‘That is 100 per cent legally enforceable. So all of these players going to Macau are just selling their souls and themselves down the river for an extra few quid.