WPBSA refute 'completely unfair' Rory McLeod comments about attracting more black players

ByThe Editorial Team

Updated 22/11/2016 at 09:21 GMT

The WPBSA have refuted comments made by Rory McLeod, who claimed snooker was "doing nothing" to attract more black players to take up the sport.

Jason Ferguson, chairman of the WPBSA (World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association) said that the sport is open for all and the organisation is still working hard to reach new areas of the world.

"We have equal opportunities in the sport and there are no boundaries for participation. If you are good enough, you can make it on the tour," said Ferguson.

"We need to reach out to those areas in the world that we are not yet there. Africa is one of those we are working on right now."

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His comments come after McLeod, 44, spoke to BBC Sport about his views on the treatment of black players within the tour.

Rory McLeod during his first round match

Image credit: Reuters

McLeod is currently the only black player on the main tour and he won his first ranking event last year at the Ruhr Open in Germany.

"What World Snooker are bothered about is the prize money and sponsors. That is it," he said.

"You need black people in the snooker clubs for starters, parents are pushing their children towards an education rather than telling them to be a professional snooker player.

"There is a lot of moving around in snooker, too. You have to travel and stay over at places. If you don't have money for that then you can't do it.

"There could be a lot more [black players] but the opportunities are not there. Most snooker players have money and support behind them, to have that in the snooker business for black people is not something that exists."

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