Snooker makes its debut in Saudi Arabia this week; the nation has a contentious history of associating itself with a variety of sports.
The Boulevard Arena will host the Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker from Monday through Wednesday.
The top ten players from the official world ranking list, along with two wildcards, compete in this non-ranking tournament.
This summer, there will be a second Saudi Arabian event, the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, which will have ranking status and be accessible to all players on the main tour.
The prize money for both competitions is large, as anticipated; the prize money for the latter is estimated to be second only to the World Championship, the premier event in the sport.
In the meantime, the winner of the next invitational will take home a check for £250,000, which is the same as the winner’s cheques from the Masters and the UK Championship this season.
Additionally, if a player can pot the new 20-point golden ball and record the first-ever break of 167, they will be eligible for a massive $500,000 prize extra.
Normally, a huge cash boost like this would be welcomed, but snooker’s association with a regime often accused of sportswashing has angered many.
International scrutiny of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record has been frequent, especially in relation to the country’s treatment of women, migrants, and its residents’ lack of freedom of speech.
Regarding the sport itself, another important topic of discussion is the degree of influence Saudi Arabia eventually gains from its recent entry into snooker.
Is this week’s golden ball in Riyadh just a one-time ploy or a sign of more bizarre iterations of the conventional rules to come?
With its newfound financial clout, would talk of this summer’s ranking tournament being named the “fourth major” ultimately result in Saudi Arabia gaining the World Championship, or will it merely satiate its need for status?
Is it really fair to the players? There have been cries that the sport has lost its soul and that they should even boycott the competitions.
There are many unanswered questions, but not all of them have definitive solutions just yet.
It is certain that this week’s matches will feature all 10 of the best players in the world rankings, several of whom have publicly expressed their support for the chance to increase their income.
According to the BBC, Mark Allens stated, “No matter where I play, I don’t get involved in any of the politics.”
That’s just who I am. I’m here to earn more money and to support my family now and in the future. That’s the only thing on my mind.
Leave a Reply