New Association Gives Players 'stronger Voice' - Higgins

A new, independent relation for starring snooker players will springiness them "a stronger voice", according to its president John Higgins.

The four-time world champion is simply a head of nan Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA) which says it is launching to "champion nan sport", on pinch its starring names.

"We consciousness arsenic though we've not been listened to arsenic we should person been successful caller years", Higgins told BBC Sport.

"The crippled has not moved guardant pinch nan times compared to different apical sports.

"Snooker deserves a strong, independent players' relation that stands for fairness, transparency, and progress."

The relation besides claims nan governance of snooker "should facet successful much of nan views of nan players".

It has vowed to foster a "collaborative relationship" pinch nan sport's authorities, including nan World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), nan existing WPBSA Players' Board, and World Snooker Tour "to heighten nan sport's future, while safeguarding subordinate use and commercialized interests".

The PSPA says it has established a players committee comprising of Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby, Barry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy, Ali Carter, Gary Wilson, Stuart Bingham, Jack Lisowski, Stephen Maguire, Mark Allen, Ryan Day and Joe Perry. Another subordinate - Matthew Selt - has been appointed a director, alongside lawyers Ben Rees and Mark Kenkre.

The relation besides claims that seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has agreed to go a member, on pinch Chinese stars Ding Junhui and Xiao Guodong.

"I've had tons of discussions pinch Ronnie" said Higgins. "He's really excited astir it, truthful it's afloat steam ahead."

The truth truthful galore of nan apical players are down nan caller assemblage suggests immoderate consciousness they do not person capable opportunity successful nan moving of nan World Snooker Tour (WST), peculiarly nan commercialized side.

During nan 2024 World Championship, nan headlines astatine nan Crucible were dominated by talk of a imaginable breakaway tour. This came aft nan game's apical players were approached to play successful lucrative events successful China and North America arsenic portion of a potential breakaway circuit.

Professional players motion a statement which does not let them to compete successful immoderate extracurricular events while WST tournaments are being played, unless they are events sanctioned by nan WST, though players person precocious negotiated much flexibility.

However, nan WST has been expanding nan magnitude of prize money successful nan game, and is preparing to shape nan sport's "fourth major" successful Saudi Arabia pinch a prize cookware of much than £2m. The 2nd Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will return spot later this week successful Jeddah.

The WPBSA's ain players' assemblage was formed successful 2020, and nan governing assemblage says it has "a circumstantial instruction to enactment successful nan corporate champion liking of members successful narration to use and issues affecting nan master game."

It says that it "acts arsenic a transmission for personnel concerns and provides a level whereby issues surrounding their wellbeing tin beryllium raised astatine nan highest levels by nan WPBSA Players Board."

The PSPA says it has been formed pinch master guidance from starring sports rule professionals, and that its cardinal objectives see ineligible and commercialized support to protect players' authorities successful sponsorship, broadcasting, and contractual matters.