The World Snooker Championship has been disrupted by spectator incidents.
Protest Ejection During Final
A female spectator was ejected from the Crucible Theatre after jumping over the barrier during the World Championship final. She shouted in protest against the television licence. The match between Shaun Murphy and Wu Yize was briefly interrupted in the third frame.
The woman swore while saying: “Nobody pays their TV licence anyway, who pays their TV licence?” She entered the arena from the front row. Referee Rob Spencer prevented her from making any further progress towards the table. Security then escorted her out of the venue.
It is likely she will be banned from attending future World Snooker events.
“Epstein Files” Shout During Semi-Final
A male spectator was ejected from the venue late in Saturday’s semi-final between Wu and Mark Allen. He shouted: “Never forget the Epstein files.”
In February, the US government released millions of new files from its investigation into late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The files contain names of some of the world’s most rich and powerful people with links to the disgraced financier. There is no suggestion that appearing in the documents implies any wrongdoing. Many people who have featured in previous releases have denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
Phone Disruptions and Warnings
There have been multiple disruptions during this year’s World Championships in Sheffield. There were several instances of shouting during the Wu-Allen semi-final. Fans have repeatedly been warned about phone usage.
In the second frame of the final, Murphy threw down the rest after missing a green. He appeared to be distracted by a phone ringing. Spencer subsequently addressed the crowd.
He said: “Make sure your phones are on silent or switched off. Don’t be the person that has to be thrown out.” He also warned spectators about having their phones off or on silent after the mid-session interval on Sunday night.
A person was asked to leave the arena after their phone alarm went off. This occurred while Murphy was about to play a shot just after the start of the 15th frame.