BBC SPORT | Other Sports | Snooker | Snooker greats aim to run sport

Three former world snooker champions are hoping to take control of the sport when the game's ruling body meets on Wednesday.

Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and Terry Griffiths want to get rid of the game's governing body.

They will make their attempt at an extraordinary general meeting of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association Limited (WPBSA) in Telford.

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They are unhappy with the way the current bosses appointed World Snooker Enterprises (WSE) to run the commercial side of the sport.

We went from making a profit for five consecutive years to having a loss for the last four

Former champion
Terry Griffiths

And they are worried about the game's financial future once tobacco sponsorship runs out at the end of this season.

The organisation is also on target to make a loss for the fourth year in a row.

"We just want to remove the board because the members have lost confidence in them," said Griffiths. "It will be the start of a new era.

"Irrespective of who is running the game, the truth is there is no sponsorship coming in and there has not been for a number of years.

"Then, next year, we are facing the tobacco restriction.

"The company policy has been to make sure we have enough reserves to face those restrictions because it is difficult to lose four tournaments. Now they don't have that.

Terry Griffiths wants a new era for snooker

"We went from making a profit for five consecutive years to having a loss for the last four and this year will be the biggest loss in the history."

The WPBSA sent out a letter this week detailing where the money had gone and claimed there were two main reasons for the losses.

It argued that �1.6m had been used to increase prizes at last season's tournaments and another �1.2m had been lost in a court action.

The court case was brought by The Sportsmasters Network Ltd (TSN), which wanted to launch a rival tour featuring the likes of Stephen Hendry and Mark Williams.

The letter said: "Had TSN not decided to enter into competition with the WPBSA, our reserves would now stand at approximately the same level as 1997 - close to �4m."

Robust defence

The organisation also defended the decision to appoint WSE to run the commercial side of the sport.

"The Board is entirely satisfied that the bidding process that resulted in the appointment of WSE was both fair and transparent," the letter said.

"It was voted on by the membership and conducted in full view of independent financial advisors Deloitte & Touche and solicitors TLT.

"What the Association and snooker needs now is a period of stability to enable the new commercial management team to make their mark."


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