Nick Metcalfe snooker column: With this much disquiet among fans, is the Saudi tournament really worth it?
In his latest column, Nick Metcalfe discusses a contentious new competition in Saudi Arabia as well as rumors that Ronnie O’Sullivan will announce his retirement this spring.
Regarding the news that a snooker competition will take place in Saudi Arabia, these are some of the best remarks I’ve received from snooker aficionados. The most complimentary remarks—yes, you read that correctly.
It’s reasonable to wonder if the entire endeavor is truly worthwhile when the act of organizing a tournament generates this much unease among fans of the sport.
Saudi Arabia is among the world’s worst violators of human rights. Amnesty International provides a detailed list of their violations, which you can easily access by clicking on the link.
That being said, none of the nations are flawless. The United Kingdom, where I am from, most definitely isn’t. It seems more split than it has in the last two generations, possibly.
This place is quite poor. There are undoubtedly some recent policy decisions made by UK governments that are morally dubious.
However, there are tiers. It would be blatantly dishonest for anyone to attempt a comparison of human rights and liberties between, say, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom in 2024.
But I don’t want this to be merely about some mad dash for the moral high ground, a place I know journalists like to go.
It is possible to hold each and every reader accountable for their own decisions and experiences.
Yes, this columnist might be as well. Everyone has some degree of hypocrisy. But when we can, don’t we owe it to ourselves to curtail that hypocrisy?
The sums of money up for grabs for players traveling to Saudi Arabia for the ten-player tournament in March are undeniable.
Next season, there will probably be a complete ranking tournament with similar prize money up for grabs. Furthermore, as is well known, snooker players are generally not like players in tennis or golf.
Many people, especially those who are not in the top 50 in the world, are truly hurting financially. The allure of a possible large salary is evident to all.
One of my problems, though, is that I am at a loss for a second rationale for the Saudi occurrence, and no one else has been able to offer me one up to this point.
As a result, it appears to be a rather straightforward question of whether having a lot of money will be sufficient to overcome the important moral concerns. That question, I believe, is what this is all about for me.
A few times, in my quest for more equilibrium, other people have made arguments that I do consider.
There are questions like Why can’t the Saudi people just enjoy a sporting event in their country?” that may be the most effective.
Why should their government’s actions be held against them? I can still picture the faces of all the Saudis I met during the World Cup in Qatar a little more than a year ago as I write this.
To a person, they were a delight, and it made sense that they were excited about major sports coming to the area. Don’t they merit pleasant surprises at their door?
But the moral questions always seem so near. In the last several days, women and members of the LGBT community have contacted me to express that they would not feel comfortable traveling to watch the event.
Regardless of your point of view on this intricate issue, this is really unsettling. In light of snooker’s desire for diversity, where does it all stand?
A lot of supporters have brought up China’s participation in Pool. Additionally, that nation’s record on human rights is appalling. In all honesty, that’s a question better left to the journalists of years past, back when the tournaments were held in China.
According to what I remember and the discussions I’ve had, morality-related issues received much less attention in newspapers and other media outlets and, in most cases, virtually no mention at all.
To be fair to those earlier writers, though, thirty or forty years ago, we just knew a lot less about these kinds of topics. Pundits of today don’t struggle with the issue. Things can be discovered in a couple of seconds.
It’s also obvious that China has a deep affection for snooker. Chinese players are among the best in the world. Tens of millions of people watch snooker on television in this nation. There, the sport is taught in the classrooms.
Saudi Arabia, a nation with no connection to snooker at all, is exempt from all of that. This is the reason for the justifiable accusation of sportswashing that has also followed the Saudis due to their ownership of Newcastle United, the formation of the independent LIV Golf Tour, and the organization of high-profile events such as world boxing championship matches.
It is true that, in spite of our reservations, this event can very well proceed. But is it ever a good excuse to keep quiet? Is it not our responsibility to bring up these moral concerns and, where necessary, attempt to draw our own boundaries in the sand?
In a survey conducted by the podcast Talking Snooker, which I co-present, two-thirds of respondents stated they were uneasy about the competition.
Check out Reddit, Twitter, and online snooker forums. When it comes to sports enthusiasts, this isn’t much of a two-sided issue.
Thus, once more, I pose the issue that’s on everyone’s mind who plays snooker: Is it really worth it?
Ken Doherty’s suggestion that Ronnie O’Sullivan might give up the game if he wins an eighth global title this spring was something I truly enjoyed.
Doherty found a way to provide some vitality to one of sports’ most stale subjects. In nearly all of his more than thirty years as a touring musician, O’Sullivan has made threats to retire. Towards the turn of the century, the majority of us stopped listening.
But for a pundit to truly pinpoint a day when O’Sullivan will quit,. That’s interesting right now.
Let’s get one thing clear. Even in his ridiculously illustrious life, if O’Sullivan manages to emerge victorious from another Crucible, it will be the Hollywood moment to surpass all others.
Showing the total world titles won by Stephen Hendry in the contemporary era. first-ever Triple Crown set completion in a single season, finishing with an 8-8-8 record in the UK, Masters, and world titles.
Nearing his fifties, he was unquestionably the best player in the world. It would be bold, creative, and, in many respects, the epitome of perfection.
However, I fail to see it, like most commentators. Going off into the sunset while there are a ton of rewards up for grabs and you’re still the best? O’Sullivan is, in my opinion, too much of an animal to pass up all that.
Even at 48 years old, his abilities don’t seem to be diminishing in the slightest. It appears that he will be content for at least the next five years.
