Snooker

When Ronnie O'Sullivan played left-handed

Anyone with a vague interest in snooker knows of Ronnie O’Sullivan and his exploits in and out of the sport. But one of the most controversial was the time he played left-handed in the first round of the 1996 World Championships again Canada’s Alain Robidoux.

O’Sullivan beat Robidoux 10-3, but the Canadian was angry at his opponent for a perceived lack of disrespect. Why? Because he started playing shots left-handed, his less dominant hand. Robidoux refused to shake his hand at the end of the match but later apologised for “misreading the situation”.

There is a common misconception that Robidoux officially complained and O’Sullivan was taken to a hearing where he had to prove he could play at a competitive level with his left hand, against former World Professional Billiards champion Rex Williams but that appears to be false.

Either way, watch it unfold in the video below.

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