Snooker
A WORLD SNOOKER statement so short that it could have been a tweet has signalled the end of the employment tribunal brought by the referee Michaela Tabb (using her married name McInnes) against the governing body.
Read MoreThere was an awkward moment during the exhibition match between Stephen Hendry and Ken Doherty, laid on for fans after early finishes on the Monday night of the second week in the matches featuring Ronnie O’Sullivan and Matthew Stevens, and Neil Robertson and Ali Carter.
Near the start someone shouted out from the crowd “Where’s Michaela?”, an obvious reference to the former leading and popular tour referee who resigned earlier this year for reasons that have still not been fully explained, but is believed to have involved an initial dispute over an unpaid bonus that was argued to be discretionary by her former employers World Snooker.
These exhibitions, this one refereed by Marcel Eckardt, are normally wise-cracking affairs, but the moment very briefly triggered an uncomfortable silence even from MC Dennis Taylor with leading World Snooker figures in the audience. Until the Scot decides to tell her side, people will be left guessing to some extent as to the precise nature of the split. It could be that she will sell her story for big money exclusively to a Scottish newspaper, or there may even be further developments in the pipeline. Equally there may be some confidentiality agreement in place and what is clear is that it is almost a taboo subject, and the circumstances surrounding Tabb's departure are a cause for awkwardness for officials.
Whichever is the case, Tabb has been a miss at this year’s World Championship, and did a huge amount promoting snooker in her time refereeing on the main tour, as well as serving as an inspiration to many of the women referees now coming through.
IT has been quite a 24 hours for snooker’s refs. First new hope Marcel Eckardt got the Ronnie O’Sullivan treatment in Wales, then came news of Michaela Tabb’s resignation.
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POPULAR REFEREE MICHAELA TABB has left the World Snooker circuit following a long running dispute with the governing body.
Read MoreInside Snooker were kindly presented with the most recent set of the WPBSA rules of the game this week by leading official Jan Verhaas.
While most of us think we know most of the rules, there are from time to time situations that crop up in a match where reference to the laws and consultation with referees is extremely useful and helpful to better describe what has happened, and the rules do get updated from time to time.
You would be amazed how many football reporters don’t actually know some of the key laws of football – or maybe you wouldn’t.
Clearly the donation could not pass without some good-natured stick being aimed at the media fraternity. Verhaas signed the tome: “Have a good read, you might learn a thing or two!” while top referee Michaela Tabb inscribed: “You might have a chance of getting it right now, then!”
No chance of that. What’s the green worth, again?