Ronnie O'Sullivan claims 'some refs have it in for me' as real reason behind show of sportsmanship revealed

Ronnie O'Sullivan has suggested that some referees "have it in for me" following an unusual episode during his World Snooker Championship quarter-final clash with Stuart Bingham at the Crucible.

O'Sullivan was commended for what appeared to be a display of 'incredible' sportsmanship, choosing to play safe instead of potting a red near the black, which he thought had been incorrectly spotted. He persistently challenged referee Desislava Bozhilova to reposition the black, believing it was slightly off its spot and wrongly presenting him with a chance to pot it.

Despite trailing by 14 points and being in the midst of a 20-point break, O'Sullivan lost the frame but was lauded for his conduct. Neil Robertson, a former world champion providing commentary for the BBC, described it as "the greatest bit of sportsmanship I've ever seen".

Yet, speaking to Eurosport, O'Sullivan offered a different perspective on the event: "To be honest with you, some of the refs, I think they've got it in for me, so I just wanted to prove to her that she got it wrong.

"I didn't feel good about potting the ball after that, but I just wanted to make the point. The point was made. I'm not that hungry to win it in that way, so once the principle's been made I can sleep at night."

Bozhilova, 31, who has been a referee on the professional tour for 12 years, officiated in the respective Masters and UK Championship finals in 2022.

The WST dismissed O'Sullivan's allegations, maintaining that Bozhilova acted appropriately throughout the incident. O'Sullivan and Bingham started their final session at an 8-8 tie, splitting the first two frames of the evening in their best-of-25 frame match.