O’Sullivan says he will do no more in-depth interviews

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN insists he will no longer give in-depth interviews after the latest controversy regarding his comments to the media.

The former world number one has revealed he received “another disciplinary letter” from governing body World Snooker after criticising semi-final referee Terry Camilleri and a press photographer en route to winning his seventh Masters title last month at Alexandra Palace.

O’Sullivan is back in action at this week’s World Grand Prix in Preston, where he caused a stir by giving a bizarre interview to ITV Sport after his win over Chinese teenager Yan Bingtao on Tuesday.

Responding to questions from former player Neal Foulds, O’Sullivan gave only brief answers to the first five questions before adopting a stilted, robotic voice.

“Yes, it resonates very much for me when I come here to the Preston Guild Hall, it has many good memories,” he said.

“I am very happy with my game, I hope I can keep playing very well to the end of the season. “Thank you very much, Neal.” The bizarre performance was explained in a blog O’Sullivan wrote for broadcaster Eurosport.

“I will no longer be talking in depth in press conferences or interviews because when I share my thoughts, I risk being fined,” he wrote.

“If I get fined for (not giving full answers) then I will no longer be prepared to perform all the contractual obligations we are asked to do for World Snooker.”

Any potential fine or sanction for the incident at the Masters is still to be determined and a spokesman for World Snooker said: “The comments Ronnie made at the Masters are still under consideration so we wouldn’t want to make any comment at this stage.”

O’Sullivan gave a television interview to Eurosport at the Masters in which he criticised Camilleri’s performance, before swearing during a press conference when discussing the photographer.

Reflecting in his blog, he wrote: “I felt the referee, Terry Camilleri, was not up to scratch.”