Professional snooker player jailed for assaulting girlfriend and removed from world tour
12 July 2024, 14:35
A professional snooker player found guilty of assaulting his girlfriend has been removed from the world tour, according to the sport's governing body.
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Michael White, 33, from Neath, was sentenced to a total of three years in jail at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday after facing three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said it "does not tolerate such behaviour by a member and has taken immediate action to remove Michael White as a member".
The authority said it had been monitoring the case and had called an emergency board meeting after the court’s verdict.
White’s membership with the association will end with “immediate effect”, which will see him also removed from the world ranking list and World Snooker Tour (WST).
“Michael White has the right to appeal the decision of the board within 21 days of the decision,” it said.
The WPBSA also said that it and WST "were not a party to these [court] proceedings and therefore it was not appropriate to intervene while the criminal justice process was ongoing".
It added: "Upon conclusion of the case, immediate action has been taken as outlined within our statement."
White, who was ranked 60th in the world before his removal from the tour, was the youngest player to make a competitive century aged 9 before becoming world amateur champion by the age of 14.
The Welshman turned professional in 2007, but lost his tour card in 2020 before regaining professional status two years later.
His two ranking titles came at the 2015 Indian Open in Mumbai and the Paul Hunter classic in 2017.
Judge Catherine Richards sentenced White to two consecutive sentences of 17 months and 19 months in prison on two counts of assault, and ordered him to pay a £190 victim surcharge. A third assault charge was left to lie on the file, said the court.
