TREATED LIKE LAB RATS
We’re all running a risk says Ronnie
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN says the players will be “lab rats” at the Crucible this year.
Veteran qualifier Anthony Hamilton launched a fierce attack this week on World Snooker Tour’s decision to let fans into the Betfred World Championship.
The 17-day tournament in Sheffield is the only indoor sports pilot event allowed a reduced-capacity crowd by the Government during the pandemic.
There will be about 300 instead of 980 fans for each session, starting on Friday.
But Hamilton said it was “too soon”, “ridiculous” and that he “didn’t want to be part of an experiment”.
Five-time world champion O’sullivan also has big doubts about the health and hygiene situation – especially as fans will not have to wear masks in the arena.
His fears echo those of footballer Danny Rose, who had blasted Project Restart and said footballers were treated like “guinea pigs or lab rats”.
O’sullivan said: “If you or anybody had been doing everything possible to keep their distance for four months and then tell them to go into a room full of people…
“Unless you had a death wish – and some people seem to, they just don’t care in many ways – but if you care about your health, I know exactly how he feels. I feel strange at the moment walking room with 10 people don’t know.
“I would, I have done and I didn’t feel comfortable.
“No one is going to feel comfortable if people were coughing near them, so of course I’m not.
“But I have decided to play and that’s it. If a fan starts coughing, what can you do?
“They are not wearing masks in the arena, so there you go – they are treating this tournament like a test and we’re like lab rats really.
“As far as players wearing masks – and we don’t have to – I thought the idea was to protect other people.
“So if I wear one, I’m protecting them, but they are not protecting me. Unless I wore a whole lot of other stuff – and how would you play snooker like that?
“I have had a person I know die from Covid-19 so I am going to take it seriously – as Anthony Hamilton clearly is too.
“We are all running a bit of a risk. I don’t really see why for 200-300 fans… if it into that a I was 5,000 fans you see there is a big income to lose.
“But 200 fans? Personally I don’t see it. Maybe they just have to start doing a test on crowds at some point.”
A World Snooker Tour spokesperson said: “WST and our partners would like to state that public health and safety is our highest priority and protection for fans, players and staff have been of paramount concern.
“Independent and government advisors will be on site supporting WST and Sheffield Theatres, observing and assisting in ensuring that the measures which we have put in place are effective.”
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