World Championship 2017: Ronnie O'Sullivan hopes for 'sensible resolution' - BBC Sport
Ronnie O'Sullivan hopes a "sensible resolution" can be reached over any outstanding issues with the snooker authorities.
Last updated on .From the section Snooker

Ronnie O'Sullivan hopes for a "sensible resolution" over any outstanding issues with snooker authorities.

The five-time world champion accused World Snooker of bullying after his first-round win at the World Championship on Sunday.

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn has said the claims are "unfounded".

In a statement released on Tuesday, 41-year-old O'Sullivan said his legal team would address the issues at the end of the tournament at Sheffield's Crucible.

He also said he would make no further comment on the matter during the event, but would focus instead on winning a sixth world title.

"There has been some speculation and commentary around the answers I gave when questioned by the media at my press conference on Sunday.

"Any outstanding issues with the snooker authorities will be addressed by my legal team following the conclusion of this great event, when I hope a sensible resolution can be reached.

"I will not be making any further comment about this during the World Championship. I request the press and media respect this position in all further interviews.

"I wish to focus all my energies on performing to the very best of my ability for the fans in my quest for a sixth world title."

BBC Radio 5 live's George Riley, who spoke to O'Sullivan at the news conference on Sunday

Wittingly or unwittingly, Ronnie is the story because he is snooker's most prized asset.

Going to war with the sport's hierarchy is massive news.

He cannot have been surprised that I challenged how he has been with the media.

All we have been trying to do since the Masters is talk to him about snooker. Had he not avoided doing so then this situation probably wouldn't have arisen.

In requesting that we don't ask tough questions, the hope is that we can go back to talking about the snooker.

I feel like he is obsessing more about the questions that we might ask than the answers he is giving; he doesn't have to say anything he doesn't want, but we have to be able to at least ask.

In the statement he asks for the media to respect his decision to not comment further, but in the past few months he has not shown the media much respect. We are not trying to catch him out.