Ronnie has been speaking to Eurosport, sharing his views on the return of a crowd at the Crucible.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2021: RONNIE O’SULLIVAN WANTS CRUCIBLE VACCINE PASSPORTS AFTER MUM’S COVID BATTLE

World champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed he feared for his mum Maria’s life when she battled Covid-19. O’Sullivan believes the disease is “not the flu” and points to the damage it can do to the lungs. With 300 fans set to be allowed access to each session of the World Championship next month as part of a UK government pilot scheme, O’Sullivan wants vaccine passports for all ticket holders.

Ronnie O’Sullivan hopes all snooker fans attending the World Championship in Sheffield will be vaccinated after watching his mum Maria’s “scary” battle against Covid-19.
The six-time world champion has revealed that the well-documented effects of the life-threatening virus left him fearing the worst.
“My mum had it really bad. There was a time when I thought she might not make it through,” said O’Sullivan, who has lifted the sport’s biggest title in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2020.

MY MUM HAS COME OUT OF THE OTHER END OF IT. BUT IT WAS PRETTY SCARY JUST TO SEE IT. YOU THINK: ‘WOW, UNBELIEVABLE, WHAT COVID CAN DO’.

O’Sullivan will defend his title at the Crucible Theatre – LIVE on Eurosport between Saturday 17 April and Monday 3 May – with around 300 fans set to be allowed access to the venue for each session as part of a UK government pilot scheme.

Spectators were allowed inside the venue for the opening day and final weekend of last year’s pandemic-delayed event in August which O’Sullivan triumphed 18-8 against Kyren Wilson to equal Steve Davis and Ray Reardon’s modern day haul of six world titles.

While welcoming the return of a crowd, the world number two feels it is imperative members of the public should be vaccinated as part of a “wise” and “sensible” policy to protect fellow fans and players inside the intimate 980-capacity venue.

“It’ll be nice to have some crowds in. Hopefully they’re all vaccinated-up. Maybe have a vaccine passport,” said O’Sullivan, as reported by the Sun.
“I’d imagine that would be part of the new criteria if you’re to go into any indoors event.
“There will be a few people who have been double jabbed-up and looking forward to getting some tickets.

WE’VE HAD A YEAR NOW TO UNDERSTAND THE ILLNESS AND EVERYBODY KNOWS – NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, YOU DON’T WANT TO BE PUT IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

“No matter what your age. I’d imagine it would be much more sensible and wise if people are allowed in that they were less likely to be passing on a deadly disease.
“You’d like to think that would probably be a standard sort of baseline of making that decision. We know a lot more about it now. We all know people that have had it.

“I’m a lot more respectful of what Covid can do to you, no matter your age. We know it’s not the flu,” added the record 37-times ranking event winner, who has struggled with the demands of constant Covid testing to compete on the World Snooker Tour behind closed doors in Milton Keynes over the past year.

IF IT GETS ON THE LUNGS THEN YOU ARE IN TROUBLE. I’M SURE EVERYONE INVOLVED IN SNOOKER AND SPORT, THEY WOULDN’T WANT TO PUT ANYBODY AT RISK, IF THEY VALUE SOMEONE’S LIFE.

…

I can only agree. A friend, in her early 50th had it in March 2020 and is still not well. One of my daughter’s close friends, 38, had it too, without any severe symptoms during the acute phase of the illness, but is now left with damage to her heart in the aftermath of the disease.

In a perfect world, people would act responsibly but we do not live in a perfect world. Therefore, sometimes, things have to be emforced, and, I believe that in this occurence, they should be.