• Snooker

O'Sullivan no-show divides players

ESPN staff
February 7, 2011
Ronnie O'Sullivan's attendance at events has come under scrutiny © PA Photos
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Players are divided over suggestions that Ronnie O'Sullivan should receive an appearance fee to ensure the three-time world champion attends events.

O'Sullivan withdrew from last week's German Masters on the day he was due to fly out for the tournament, citing medical reasons for his absence from the £250,000 ranking event.

But it is not the first time the 35-year-old has missed a tournament - having skipped the Shanghai Masters for family reasons earlier in the season and ten of the 12 Players Tour Championship events put on the calendar.

Sell-out crowds still attended the event in Berlin, eventually won by Mark Williams, but afterwards the triumphant Welshman suggested that paying O'Sullivan to show up for key tournaments - in a manner similar to golf's former world No. 1 Tiger Woods - might be the obvious solution to retain a vibrant atmosphere in arenas and keep interest in the sport high.

"You don't need Ronnie, we have seen that here in Germany - but he brings an extra buzz to it. That's the bottom line," Williams said. "Wherever you go, you will sell more tickets. Maybe the only way to make him appear more is to pay him appearance money."

However, losing finalist Mark Selby disagreed with that view, believing no player is worthy of special treatment.

"It shouldn't be one rule for one and one rule for the rest," Selby said.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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