Snooker player banned for two months after ‘inappropriate comments’ to female staff

Snooker player Jamie O’Neill has been banned for two months after it was found that he made ‘inappropriate comments’ to female staff and played whilst drunk during a tournament.

O’Neill, who is currently ranked world number 112, has been a professional on tour since 2019.

The allegations were that the Englishman turned up to the event, which was held in Leicester last August, whilst drunk. He was also alleged to have made inappropriate comments and gestures to two female staff, and to have taken part in his match at the event whilst drunk.

A complaint was made by the World Snooker Tour (WST) to the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA). The WPBSA then brought charges against the player.

O’Neill’s ban means he will miss the Championship League and European Masters.

A disciplinary hearings summary document for 2020/21, posted by the WPBSA, shows that O’Neill was punished for a series of offences throughout the time period.

O’Neill received a suspended £1,000 fine for ‘repeated inappropriate comments on social media’ in December 2020. A month later, he received the same suspended fine for ‘posting 10 live streams on social media with inappropriate content’.

In August, WST chairman Jason Ferguson then told the Snooker Scene Podcast that O’Neill was suspended in May for having “digressed… in terms of Covid policies”. The ban prevented him from playing in that year’s British Open.

O’Neill’s results on the World Snooker Tour

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O’Neill has played in various ranking tournaments since turning professional. He reached the fourth round of the Scottish Open in 2020. O’Neill won matches against Hossein Vafaei and Shaun Murphy. He then lost to Ding Junhui in the last 16.

In 2021, he reached the last 16 of the German Masters, beating Murphy and Zhou Xintong.

Last season, he qualified for three ranking events. O’Neill appeared in the first round of the UK Championship, losing 6-3 to 2006 World Champion Graeme Dott.

He also played in the first round of the European Masters. He was defeated 5-1 by Ryan Day.

Snooker governing body WPBSA release statement on verdict

Snooker player
Image Credit: Getty

The WPBSA released a statement announcing its verdict on O’Neill’s case on Thursday morning. They confirmed that the snooker player had been banned.

They stated: “The case was heard by the independent WPBSA Disciplinary Committee where after a contested hearing Mr O’Neill was found to be in breach of the WPBSA Rules and his Players Contract.”

“In making their decision on sanction, the Committee took into account that the finding of the Disciplinary Committee puts Mr O’Neill in breach of a suspended penalty imposed by the Disciplinary Committee on 27th May 2021.

“In addition, Mr O’Neill has breached two previous suspended penalties imposed under the WPBSA Disciplinary process.

“Mr O’Neill was suspended from playing or being involved in WST events, effective immediately until 23.59 on 31 July 2022; and to pay a fine of £1,500 and to pay £3,200 towards the costs of the hearings.”

Featured Image Credit: Getty

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