The brand new Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy has formally been launched in Boulevard Metropolis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
It marks the newest step within the nation’s latest fast improvement of the sport, following tournaments that had been beforehand staged within the Kingdom earlier this yr.
H.E. Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Normal Leisure Authority in Saudi Arabia, was current on the academy’s launch on Monday.
Alalshikh has already said his intention to develop the game within the area, with this facility offering younger and aspiring gamers with the chance to study from the sport’s biggest ever participant.
It’s deliberate that O’Sullivan, who signed a three-year settlement to function an envoy to the nation in April, will make a number of journeys to Saudi Arabia in a training capability.
“Superb to have opened my very own snooker academy right here in Riyadh,” Ronnie O’Sullivan wrote on social media platform X.
“Large thanks to Turki Alalshikh and Sela for making it occur. This would be the excellent place to develop future stars regionally and globally.”
Nigel Bond, the previous world quantity 5 who received the 1996 British Open a yr after reaching the World Championship ultimate, will function the academy’s head coach.
Bond, who retired from skilled snooker in 2022, was based mostly on the Star Snooker Academy in Sheffield and in addition has expertise teaching internationally in international locations like Germany and Thailand.
An official press launch for the launch, in the meantime, said that “O’Sullivan carried out the inaugural shot on the academy’s major desk, within the presence of VIPS and invited company.”
“The institution of Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy helps the event of snooker fanatics within the Kingdom, providing a big alternative for younger individuals to study the game and hone their abilities in an expert setting that prepares them for native and worldwide competitions.
“By this academy, Riyadh Season goals to create a brand new technology of gamers able to competing globally and elevating the Kingdom’s profile in varied sporting arenas.”
The continuing 2024/25 snooker season doesn’t boast a single participant from Saudi Arabia.
It is going to be attention-grabbing to see, then, what sort of affect the Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy has and if gamers with pedigree can emerge sooner or later with major tour playing cards.
Jason Ferguson, chairman of snooker’s international governing physique WPBSA, stated: “The services at this new flagship academy are excellent, emphasising the ambition of our companions to supply the very best native expertise with the chance to play in the suitable setting.”
“With our all-time biggest Ronnie O’Sullivan as a mentor, they are going to be impressed by the very best.
“The Saudi Arabian Billiards and Snooker Federation and the GEA have our full help as we align with them on sustainable improvement.
“This partnership is long run. We need to construct the game of snooker in Saudi Arabia for many years, as we now have finished in China over the previous 20 years, whereas offering the very best younger gamers with pathways to success.”
Earlier in 2024, snooker broke new floor in Saudi Arabia by staging a few high-profile tournaments within the nation.
The invitational World Masters of Snooker, which featured a singular 20-point golden ball as an incentive to compile a uncommon 167 break, was received by Ronnie O’Sullivan in March.
It was adopted by the much more profitable Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in the course of the summer time.
In what was the first-ever rating occasion staged there, Judd Trump received a dramatic ultimate in opposition to Mark Williams to pocket the $500,000 champion’s cheque.
General, snooker’s enterprise into the Saudi Arabian market has confirmed to be controversial, with points associated to sportswashing countering the injection of sources they’re pumping within the sport.
Featured photograph credit score: Ronnie O’Sullivan X
