LONDON: Four-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan was given a suspended fine and a warning by snooker’s governing body yesterday after being found guilty of failing to attend tournaments.
O’Sullivan, who won the world title in 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2012, was charged with not having a reasonable excuse for withdrawing from 11 events between August 2010 and March 2012.
The 36-year-old presented medical advice at a hearing with the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association that showed he was within his rights to miss three of those events, but he was punished in relation to eight late withdrawals in 2010.
As a result he was found to be in breach of the sport’s rule 1.3, which declares a member must play in a tournament in which he has entered, and was given a suspended fine of £1,000 ($1,580) and a formal warning and told to pay £1,000 costs.
World Snooker have long tried to get the maverick O’Sullivan, one of the sport’s all-time greats, to comply with their regulations, and it was only last month that he agreed to return to the main Tour and sign a player’s contract.
O’Sullivan hit with suspended fine
