World Snooker Championship Date: 18 April-4 May Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Coverage: Live coverage each day on BBC Two, BBC Red Button and BBC Sport website (UK only), updates on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Allen saw off the defending champion to make the quarter-finals
Ronnie O'Sullivan's negative comments are bad for snooker according to Mark Allen, who won their World Championship second round clash 13-11 on Saturday.
'The Rocket' recently claimed the sport was "dying", but Allen hit back after beating the world champion, saying snooker had never been healthier.
"The things he says do more damage to the game than what he thinks," he said.
"Ronnie said he's carrying the game on his shoulders. I don't agree. If he believes that he should walk away."
The 23-year-old star from Antrim, Northern Ireland was in the form of his life on Saturday, overcoming O'Sullivan with a stunning performance in the final session in Sheffield.
The world number 16 said: "To play one of your heroes at The Crucible was a dream come true, and that inspired me."
O'Sullivan, 33, said his own game had been "very poor", conceding his opponent had played "brilliantly" and had a "great chance of winning the tournament".
During the UK Masters in January O'Sullivan said snooker was "boring" and on a "downward spiral", suggesting someone like X Factor's Simon Cowell should be brought in to make it more "dynamic".
After ending the Londoner's hopes of retaining the title, Allen said: "I don't believe any of that, and I take what Ronnie says with a pinch of salt.
"There are more than enough players to take the mantle. I don't think the game has ever been in better health player-wise.
"In any sport there should never be one player who runs the sport, and over the last few years it does seem that Ronnie has been doing that.
"He seems to get away with things other players wouldn't."
I knew I could win - Allen
O'Sullivan was fined and docked ranking points last year for lewd comments at a media conference at the China Open and fined in 2007 after walking out of a match against Stephen Hendry.
He was also banned and fined in 1996 for assaulting a snooker official.
Allen, whose top 16 place is now guaranteed, faces Welshman Ryan Day on Tuesday for a place in the semi-finals and he hoped his career-best victory over O'Sullivan would not prove to be detrimental.
"I don't think I'll let that happen," he said. "Everyone who's left in the tournament is capable of winning it."
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