The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘Lab rats’ blast as O’Sullivan hits out after draw
Ronnie O’Sullivan says the sport’s stars are being treated like “lab rats” at this year’s World Snooker Championship and claims anyone unconcerned by the decision to allow some spectators into the event must have a “death wish”.
Five-time champion O’Sullivan expressed support for fellow player Anthony Hamilton, who suffers from asthma and said he fears for his health at the Crucible, which is one of three events piloting the safe return of fans in the coronavirus pandemic.
O’Sullivan, who will start his campaign against Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh on Sunday, said: “They’re treating this snooker event like lab rats really, so what can you do? You can sit here and complain and say it isn’t right, but it is what it is.
“Maybe they have to start doing tests on crowds at some point. You’ve got to start somewhere, (so why not) start with snooker players – less insurance to pay out for Anthony Hamilton than there is for Lewis Hamilton.
“I defy anybody, if they’ve been keeping their distance from people for four months, to say, ‘oh right, now you’ve got to go into a room full of people’ – unless you’ve got a death wish, and some people have in many ways and they just don’t care.
“But if you’re one of those people who happens to care about your health and are taking it seriously, I totally get how he (Hamilton) feels.”
Declining to directly address the comments, World Snooker Tour referenced an earlier statement in which they stressed safety was of “paramount concern”, and the choice of the Crucible to stage the first indoor event with an audience constituted a “fantastic triumph” for the game”.
Spectators with tickets for the event must undergo a series of strict protocols prior and during their visit, including signing a code of conduct and wearing face masks as they make their way to their seats, although they can be removed during play.
Judd Trump, who is aiming to become the first first-time winner to defend his title, will play his firstround match to a finish tomorrow against world number 26 Tom Ford.
Hamilton will also start tomorrow against eighth seed Kyren Wilson.
Alan McManus, the oldest player to reach the Crucible since Steve Davis’s final appearance at the age of 52 in 2010, takes on Mark Williams, while four-time winner and fellow Scot John Higgins starts against former finalist Matthew Stevens.
Draw: Judd Trump v Tom Ford, Yan Bingtao v Elliot Slessor, Stephen Maguire v Martin Gould, Kyren Wilson v Anthony Hamilton, John Higgins v Matthew Stevens, David Gilbert v Kurt Maflin, Jack Lisowski v Anthony McGill, Mark Allen v Jamie Clarke, Mark Williams v Alan McManus, Stuart Bingham v Ashley Carty, Ding Junhui v Mark King, Ronnie O’Sullivan v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, Mark Selby v Jordan Brown, Shaun Murphy v Noppon Saengkham, Barry Hawkins v Alexander Ursenbacher, Neil Robertson v Liang Wenbo.