A £10.2m lawsuit looms in snooker (Picture: Getty Images)
World Snooker Tour say they reject and will defend claims made against them in a £10.2m lawsuit launched in the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
NST Worldwide claim that ‘unlawful and anti-competitive practices’ have been used to prevent snooker players ‘playing in tournaments, events, or matches organised by competitor promoters.’
Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan owns a stake in NST Worldwide, while chairman of World Seniors Snooker Jason Francis and lawyer Mayus Karia are directors.
Francis announced on social media on Friday: ‘I can confirm that my company NST Worldwide Ltd has launched legal proceedings in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (case number 1701/5/7/25) against World Snooker Ltd (WST), it’s holding company World Snooker Holdings Ltd and the WPBSA for abuse of their dominant position contrary to section 18 of the Competition Act 1998 (Chapter II Prohibition) and a further claim that they have engaged in agreements, decisions and/or concerted practices which have as their object of effect the prevention, distortion and restriction of competition, contrary to Section 2 of Competition Act 1998 (Chapter I Prohibition).
‘The infringements relate to the setting of unlawful and anti-competitive provisions in the contractual relationships between WSL and professional snooker players, and WSL’s unlawful and anti-competitive practices that have prevented professional snooker players playing in tournaments, events, or matches organised by competitor promoters, including NST (which included broadcasting snooker events on Channel 5 and Channel 4 this depriving snooker fans more chances to watch snooker on free to air TV).
‘NST is claiming £10.2m in damages plus interest and declarations from the Court to invalidate terms used by World Snooker Ltd to abuse its dominant position by controlling the players and erecting barriers to entry for competitors such as NST.’
A brief statement from World Snooker Tour read: ‘WST rejects the claims and will defend them.’
Ronnie O’Sullivan is a part-owner of NST Worldwide (Picture: Getty Images)
Professional players sign a WST players contract which does not allow them to compete in any outside events while WST tournaments are being played, unless they are granted permission.
There have been negotiations over the terms of the contract and players have more freedom now to compete in non-WST events, but are still restricted to dates on the calendar that do not clash with WST tournaments, unless a sanction is granted.
A series of four events featuring a string of the sport’s biggest names has been proposed by Francis to be broadcast on Channel 4, but only two have been sanctioned by WST.
Francis told Metro: ‘We are claiming that the current restrictions being imposed on WST players are illegal and World Snooker are abusing their dominant position in the sport by not allowing competition into the market and we think the WPBSA has been working hand-in-hand with them to keep anyone else out.
‘On the weekends that they say they may not run events they are unwilling to guarantee that they won’t, so it’s impossible for us to plan. They’ll put an event on, players won’t be allowed to play and we’ll fall in breach of our broadcast contracts.
‘We just want to go to work, we feel like there should be more than one competitor in the market place and the customer should have a choice.
‘If me or any promoter wants to put on an event, players should have choice, players are not employees of World Snooker.’
Shaun Murphy, chairman of the WPBSA Players Board, says players are in a better position under the renegotiated terms of the players’ contract, but for some it has not gone far enough.
Shaun Murphy is chairman of the WPBSA Players Board (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I have to be careful because I am the chairman of WPBSA Players and a director of WPBSA, which is one of the companies he’s suing,’ Murphy told Metro after Francis’ announcement. ‘I haven’t seen the documents so I can’t comment on any specifics. But just to say, it’s very interesting times.
‘The contract is a lot more lenient than it was. WST have climbed down from their position a little bit. Players can ask for permission and WST will not unreasonably withhold permission.
‘But players are still not allowed to ply their trade when and wherever they want to, which I think is what some people are after.
‘Obviously it doesn’t suit WST to allow that. But the argument could be made that could be seen as a restriction. I think it’s going to be interesting where this goes.
‘The renegotiation over the contract has been exhaustive. All sides have moved and are in a better position. But some camps might see it as not far enough.
‘As chairman of WPBSA Players, it doesn’t involve us, the players need to stay out of it, we’re going to stay out of it and watch from the sidelines.’
O’Sullivan is not defending his Masters title this month (Picture: Getty Images)
Francis’s announcement came on the same day that O’Sullivan withdrew from the Masters, where he was due to play John Higgins on Sunday afternoon but has been replaced by Neil Robertson.
However, he insists that the lawsuit is unrelated and O’Sullivan pulled out of the event to protect his mental health.
‘No. We were always serving the papers on that date, totally unrelated,’ Francis said.
‘I think the pressure and anxiety of this particular event is more than most. I think it’s well documented, he’s come out and said of his mental health struggles with anxiety.
‘I don’t see him retiring from snooker, I see him having a little break. The pressure on Ronnie O’Sullivan is different to any other snooker player, it’s a big mantle to carry.’
A source told The Sun: ‘Ronnie isn’t involved with the lawsuit and has no specific problem with WST or Matchroom.’