O’sullivan: Having spectators at the Crucible is unnecessary risk

Ronnie O’sullivan has said spectators attending the World Championship as part of Covid-19 guidance stress-tests will be an “unnecessary risk”.

The five-time champion said “you aren’t really achieving anything” by allowing reduced numbers to attend the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield from Friday week.

Barry Hearn, the World Snooker Tour chairman, previously welcomed the decision to choose the championship to evaluate the Government’s “stage five” guidance on the return of fans to elite sports events.

Organisers announced that spectators would be asked to follow a strict “code of conduct” to ensure they are not spreading Covid-19.

However, O’sullivan told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Having people there but not enough people doesn’t look good. Either pack it out and say we don’t actually care or just go, ‘We aren’t having anyone’.”

Hearn previously said players would be “thrilled” at the return of fans, but O’sullivan says he has “no problem” with sporting events being behind closed doors until 2021.

“Just sport being on television is enough at the moment,” he added. “I just think it’s an unnecessary risk. I just don’t think you want to be putting people’s lives at risk. You look at the NHS and you think this is like a war at the moment and it’s those people who have been flat out, and you watch what they go through, and anything to take the stress off them is paramount.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday that cricket would be the first sport to hold a test event, followed by snooker and racing, with plans for a “wider reopening” for fans into stadiums from Oct 1. However, Premier League clubs are confident games could be played with supporters present in September – and with around 50 per cent capacity – especially if they are allowed to implement a digital health passport system.

County cricket friendlies next Sunday and Monday will be the first events in the Government’s pilot scheme, with Surrey’s two-day match against Middlesex at the Kia Oval one of the games that will permit fans. Crowds are likely to be limited to as few as 1,000.

The snooker beginning on July 31 will have provision for 250 to 350 “golden ticket” holders and the final day of Glorious Goodwood on Aug 1 will be open to the racecourse’s 5,000 members plus guests.