1.10.08

ADDING INSULT TO INJURY

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse for Graeme Dott...

It is not guaranteed that he will receive his 700 losers' points for withdrawing from the Shanghai Masters after breaking his arm playing football.

There is a clause in the WPBSA players' handbook which states that players should avoid any sport or activity which could put their ability to participate in tournaments at risk.

A decision will be made by the weekend.

Playing football was certainly ill advised as an injury could have occurred.

On the other hand, there have been occasions in the past where players have received losers' points after missing tournaments through claiming illnesses which were dubious to say the least.

It would surely be a kick in the teeth to deny Dott a small crumb of comfort from a miserable week.

EDIT: It will make a big difference to Dott. With the points he'll be provisionally 42nd; without them he'll be 50th.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just hope he hasn't already expressed his support for the new union... [sad-angry grin] If the WPBSA bosses see the PSPA as a threat, they will probably try to hit back at the ‘enemy’.

Anonymous said...

Justice and common sense should of course prevail and he should be awarded the points- I presume other players have played football and escaped injury.
He could of created a farcical situation by turning up and conceding after the break off shot.
If they dont give him the points they may as well start discipling players for playing football!

Anonymous said...

To be honest I don't really think he should get the 700 points given that he hasn't struck a ball in the tournament, just doesn't seem to be logical to me.

To me if you do not play in the tournament, you should not gain points from it.

Anonymous said...

Graeme came there obviously to play in the tournament. Nothing in his past history could the slightest suggest he was not 100% committed to try his best. He should be awarded the points exactly as he would if he caught a serious flu or a food poisoning!
Football could cause injuries ... well yes, maybe. Where does it stop? You can be run over crossing the road, you can choke eating fish and even if you stay in bed you are not safe. Don't 99% of people die in a bed? It's ridiculous and discracefull!
And God knows I'm not a footy fan!

Anonymous said...

He travelled to the tournament so,obviously,had every intention of playing in it.
Common sense should prevail but it's the WPBSA we are talking about so Dott has no chance of getting the points.

Anonymous said...

I don't dispute that he fully intended to play, course he did, but to me the fact remains that he didn't play. Just my opinion on it.

Anonymous said...

Thats a bit armless from the wpbsa

Unknown said...

By publishing pictures of the players playing football on their website the WPBSA have condoned it in my view.
What if Ronnie falls while Running?. Is that dangerous because they are always going on about that too. It will be a gross injustice if he is not awarded the points and one in which his management should pursue with all haste.

Anonymous said...

prosnookerblog has a point but the big difference is that he travelled thousands of miles to play.
If he hadn't travelled to the event then withhold the points but his intention was to play.