Wu Yize was abused in Leicester. (Image: Wu Yize)
Chinese player Wu Yize was targeted with a racist remark during the Shoot Out tournament on Sunday. Yize, 21, went out at the semi-final stage in Leicester, losing to eventual champion Tom Ford.
But it was Yize’s last-16 clash which overshadowed his run, the youngster coming through a tense clash against Elliot Slessor by 46-43.
During the game however, he was subjected to an unsavoury shot from a member of the audience.
With both players vying for safety on the yellow, Yize had lined up a shot when a man was overheard shouting ‘egg fried rice’ in an apparent attempt to put him off. The cry sparked off rumblings of discontent in the audience, with the player seemingly ignoring the insult.
The match referee reacted by shouting “order,” although that did little to quieten the noise. The Eurosport commentators didn’t appear to pick up on the heckling, with Yize returning to his seat quickly without making a complaint.
The incident brought further scrutiny on the behaviour of the crowd at the Morningside Arena. The tournament is the only professional snooker event where crowd noise is actively encouraged, with spectators permitted to shout out during frames.
Tom Ford was eventually crowned champion. (Image: Getty)
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
But many have now argued that things have been taken too far. In another match including Slessor and Mark Joyce, crowd members were heard singing “There’s only one Gregg Wallace,” in a sarcastic show of support for the disgraced Masterchef host.
“Great tournament idea but one or two absolute dinlows ruined it for a lot of snooker fans who had paid good money to be there,” wrote fieryangel1 on X. “I suspect a lot of those people were super-annoyed actually being there…most of the fans seemed a lot of fun but the couple of rogue ones should have been removed.”
@SMcmoist added “Had to turn it off last night, the crowd were insufferable, was so cringey my feet were curling out through my socks.” @SnookerLoopyOwl wrote: “Since I began attending the Shootout in 2020, I have never been so appalled.”
Don’t miss…
The annual ranking tournament, which is played using a variation of traditional snooker rules, is designed to attract a younger audience to the sport. The draw is randomised before each round and all matches are played over a single frame, which lasts a maximum of 10 minutes.
Ford’s success in Leicester signified his maiden ranking title. Yize’s compatriot, Zhou Yuelong, made the highest break of the weekend with 101.