Mark Allen: Northern Irishman 'not getting involved in politics' of Saudi tournament

Mark Allen says he has no reservations about competing in Saudi Arabia as he prepares for the inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker.

The Northern Irishman will be joined by the remainder of the world's top eight players, plus two local wildcards, for the event, which runs from 4-6 March.

LIV Golf is among the sporting bodies which have come in for criticism for hosting events in the country.

"It's another opportunity to go and win a snooker tournament," said Allen.

"I don't get involved in any of the politics, no matter where I play. It's just the way I am. I'm here to provide for my family and my family's future and get more money. That's all I'm worried about."

The 38-year-old's success in the Players Championship on Sunday was his third of the current season, following on from victories in the Champion of Champions and the Shootout.

Saudi Arabia has come under the spotlight in relation to its human rights record but next week's event is one of two that will be hosted in the country in 2024.

The Saudi Arabia Masters will be staged in Riyadh later this year, with the £2m prize fund on offer making it the second most lucrative title on the calendar behind the World Championship, along with the title of the sport's 'fourth major'.

"I'm excited by it, I think the event is going to be really, really big. I think it's going to be class for us," said Allen of the upcoming Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker at Boulevard City.

"I think we're going to be really well looked after. There is going to be a lot of razzmatazz, probably a little bit different to what you're used to seeing in snooker and it's an exciting time to try new things.

"If Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region want to throw big money at the sport I'm all for it.

"There are a lot of countries around the world that do strange things in their decision-making on how they run their countries and we still go and participate in sports round there, and even closer to home there's probably a lot of things that people wouldn't support but they still go and take their wage and we're no different.

"What I would say is, if you were offered the opportunity would you say yes or would you say no, and I'm pretty sure that everyone would say yes.

"I'm a snooker player, I'm not a politician. Me turning round and saying 'I'm not going to play in Saudi' is not going to change what they do or don't do in their country."

Allen will be joined in the tournament by world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan, reigning world champion Luca Brecel, Judd Trump, Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby, Ali Carter and Mark Williams, plus Saudi Arabia's Omar Alajani and Qatar's Ali Alobaidli.

Every match will be played with a new 20-point golden ball, known as the Riyadh Season Ball, which will give players the chance to make a unique break of 167.

Despite his enthusiasm for extending the global reach of the sport, Allen has reservations about World Snooker labelling the Saudi Arabia Masters world ranking event, to be held from 31 August to 7 September, as the sport's 'fourth major', joining the long-established Triple Crown of the World Championship, the Masters and the UK Championship.

"I don't know about the fourth major thing. I think you only become a major when history becomes attached to your event, years and years of going to the same place. I think that's what builds history.

"You can't just throw money at something and call it a major but it will be a big event for us.

"There's great money involved and it's just another opportunity to go into a new region and hopefully that will encourage the likes of Dubai and Qatar and places like that to get involved too because it would be an exciting time for the sport."