“Having people there but not enough people doesn’t look good. Either pack it out and say we don’t actually care or just go we aren’t having anyone.”
World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn says “detailed discussions” are taking place over the potential for a live crowd.
But O’Sullivan says he has “no problem” with sporting events being behind closed doors until 2021, given the risk of coronavirus infection.
“Just sport being on television is enough at the moment,” said the 44-year-old.
“I just don’t think you want to be putting people’s lives at risk. You look at the NHS and you think this is like a war at the moment and it’s those people who have been flat out, and you watch what they go through, and anything to take the stress off them is paramount.”
He says playing is a “risk I’m prepared to take” but that he will assess how he feels at the venue and that if he is “very, very uncomfortable” he would withdraw.
“If I get to that point then obviously there is no point in playing,” he said. “And hopefully I don’t, hopefully I feel like I’m there and I’m enjoying.”
That set apart, it just confirms that Ronnie is very uncomfortable with having a crowd at the Crucible – and rightly so – yet prepared to take the risk, unless it gets to a point where he feels that the risks are too high.
One thought on “Ronnie O’Sullivan says crowds at World Championship an ‘unnecessary risk’”
Everything Ronnie has been saying lately (combined with the fact that he chose to play in the Championship league to get in some match practice) seems consistent with my ongoing belief that winning more World Championships is one of his top remaining priorities in snooker. He seems to really want to play, and seems committed to at least putting an honest effort into putting up with the lockdown conditions (and unnecessary risk of COVID exposure from fans) for as long as he can.
Everything Ronnie has been saying lately (combined with the fact that he chose to play in the Championship league to get in some match practice) seems consistent with my ongoing belief that winning more World Championships is one of his top remaining priorities in snooker. He seems to really want to play, and seems committed to at least putting an honest effort into putting up with the lockdown conditions (and unnecessary risk of COVID exposure from fans) for as long as he can.