2024 World Snooker Championship: Mark Allen Calls Out Snooker Officials Demanding Recognition and Fairness in the Sport

Northern Irish snooker star Mark Allen didn't hold back following his 10-6 victory over Robbie Williams in the first round of the 2024 World Snooker Championship. Expressing his frustration, Allen called out an unnamed World Snooker Tour (WST) official for what he perceives as favouritism towards certain players and a lack of recognition for himself and other top players on the tour.

Allen voiced his discontent with the treatment he and other top players receive from both the WST and broadcasters. Despite his status as the world number three, Allen feels overlooked, particularly when it comes to televised matches during major ranking tournaments.

"I’ve been down this road before, things are slightly better, but it could be better still. If the face doesn’t fit, then maybe something else needs to change," Allen told SportsBoom.com, highlighting his frustration with the current state of recognition within the sport.

Allen's frustration was compounded by the fact that neither session of his first-round match against Robbie Williams was televised by the BBC. Despite his commanding performance, which saw him take a 7-2 lead into the second session, Allen believes that he and other top players are not given the coverage they deserve.

Image credit: WST

Additionally, the 38-year-old revealed that he had conversations with individuals within the WST and media circles regarding the coverage of players like himself and last year's world champion, Luca Brecel. However, the responses he received were disheartening.

When asked if winning this year’s competition would change the perception around him, he alarmingly answered: "Well, you would think that. I'm not going to name names, but I had a chat with someone in and around the WST and that media circle and they said that Luca [Brecel] wasn't a big enough name to give coverage to and he's the world champion… So, if that's the person we’re dealing with, we're all in trouble.”

Despite the frustrations expressed, Allen made it clear that he prefers to play on televised matches, as it offers a platform to showcase his skills and compete on a larger stage, opposed to going ‘under the radar’ on table two. 

"No, I'd rather play on TV. That's what we play for. That's why we try and win and get up the rankings for, but it doesn't seem to account for much," Allen affirmed, emphasising his desire for increased televised coverage.