A £10million lawsuit has been launched against the World Snooker Tour. (Image: Getty.)
The World Tour (WST) have bluntly shut down claims from NST Worldwide that “unlawful and anti-competitive practices” have been used to stop their players “playing in tournaments, events, or matches organised by competitor promoters” in a £10.2million lawsuit.
NST Worldwide, which owns a stake in and Jason Francis and Mayus Karia are directors of, launched their claims in the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
The Rocket’s withdrawal from the , which starts on Sunday, is not thought to be connected to the lawsuit and Francis claims that .
An account on X (formerly known as Twitter) ran by Francis announced the news, : “I can confirm that my company NST Worldwide Ltd has launched legal proceedings in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (case number 1701/5/7/25) against World Snooker Ltd (WST), it’s holding company World Snooker Holdings Ltd and the WPBSA for abuse of their dominant position contrary to section 18 of the Competition Act 1998 (Chapter II Prohibition) and a further claim that they have engaged in agreements, decisions and/or concerted practices which have as their object of effect the prevention, distortion and restriction of competition, contrary to Section 2 of Competition Act 1998 (Chapter I Prohibition).
“The infringements relate to the setting of unlawful and anti-competitive provisions in the contractual relationships between WSL and professional snooker players, and WSL’s unlawful and anti-competitive practices that have prevented professional snooker players playing in tournaments, events, or matches organised by competitor promoters, including NST (which included broadcasting snooker events on and this depriving snooker fans more chances to watch snooker on free to air TV).
“NST is claiming £10.2m in damages plus interest and declarations from the Court to invalidate terms used by World Snooker Ltd to abuse its dominant position by controlling the players and erecting barriers to entry for competitors such as NST.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan is a part-owner of NST Worldwide. (Image: Getty)
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The WST replied with a brief statement to the which read: “WST rejects the claims and will defend them.”
Express Sport has contacted the WST for further comment.
The lawsuit stems from professional players’ contracts, which state that they are not able to compete in non-WST events while tournaments are being played, unless they are specifically granted permission.
Players do have more freedom than previously, but any potential rivals to the WST are currently restricted solely to dates where WST tournaments are not taking place if they want to attract the sport’s biggest names.
Francis told Metro: “We are claiming that the current restrictions being imposed on WST players are illegal and World Snooker are abusing their dominant position in the sport by not allowing competition into the market and we think the WPBSA has been working hand-in-hand with them to keep anyone else out.
“On the weekends that they say they may not run events they are unwilling to guarantee that they won’t, so it’s impossible for us to plan. They’ll put an event on, players won’t be allowed to play and we’ll fall in breach of our broadcast contracts.
“We just want to go to work, we feel like there should be more than one competitor in the market place and the customer should have a choice. If me or any promoter wants to put on an event, players should have choice, players are not employees of World Snooker.”