World Snooker Championship postponed

LONDON: The Betfred World Snooker Championship has been postponed in the latest major change to the sporting calendar caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The World Snooker Tour said in a statement released on Friday that it intends to host the tournament, which had been due to run from April 18 to May 4, in July or August at the Crucible.

The statement added: “We are awaiting feedback from the BBC and our other principal broadcasters before dates are confirmed and we hope to make a further announcement in the coming days.”

WST chairman Barry Hearn said: “These are tough times for everyone but we are determined to get through it. Fans around the world — as well as the 144 players involved — are anxious to know if and when the World Championship will go ahead.”

He added: “Snooker players are self-employed, they need opportunities to earn prize money so we have a responsibility to them. We are currently exploring the potential to stage tournaments behind closed doors to keep the circuit alive. Live televised coverage of the biggest sporting events can be an inspiration to people around the world in these challenging times so it is important that we strive to find solutions for our tournaments.”