Between a Rock and a hard place
Hearn Worlds in doubt after strange scenes in Gibraltar
Supremo Barry Hearn has revealed that snooker ’ s World Championship could be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus.
The World Snooker Tour chairman, 71, hopes next month’s marquee event can go ahead as planned.
But the spread of the virus has put the competition in doubt, with players having to pick bal ls out of the pockets at yesterday’s Gibraltar Open because so few referees were available.
Hearn also hosts boxing, golf, darts, pool, fishing and bowling events.
His boxer Anthony Joshua has a heavyweight title defence against Kubrat Pulev scheduled for June 20 at the Tottenham Stadium but that is also in doubt.
He admitted: “We are in the s***! It ’ s a no- win situation but we’re being led by government directives.
“We’ve got a massive fight on June 20 but don’t know whether that will happen.
“You don’t want to cancel big events and we will play them where possible but this is the equivalent of a world war. If they said only 500 people could watch, we’d do that also.
“But if they said it had to be behind closed doors then we’d follow the guidance.”
Former world champion Ken Doherty fears for the World Championship, which starts in just five weeks’ time.
The 1997 winner said: “I really fear for it now.
“I wouldn’t want the World Championship to be played behind closed doors, it just wouldn’t be the same.
“I don’t know how they’re going to manage it because they’ve got the qualifying event before the tournament then you’ve got 17 days to fit in somehow. This is a serious virus and is more important than snooker, I hope they find a vaccine soon.”
The Gibraltar Open went ahead despite the sporting landscape being wiped out on Friday. The tournament started in front of just 100 fans as a precaution then was played behind closed doors after the first day.
And those watching on TV were treated to the strange sight of players picking balls out of pockets in some games with no referees.
Hearn questioned if the
UK government should be doing more and added: “We were guided by Gibraltar who allowed us 100 fans and then no spectators.
“We’ve got to be sensible. People are still going to work so I’d ask the question whether the whole country needs to be closed down.”