In the latest news on April 16, 2022, Beijing time, O'Sullivan was dismissive of the criticism of snooker opponent Wafi, who had previously said he was not suitable for the game and told the 46-year-old to quit the sport. The Iranian star launched a harsh verbal attack on O'Sullivan, saying the 38-time ranking champion was disrespectful to others because he believed O'Sullivan had a negative attitude towards the sport and other athletes. In addition, Wafi complained that O'Sullivan did not use his influence to promote snooker, which sparked widespread discussion in the snooker community.
O'Sullivan: It takes a long time to make me angry
Wafi, 27, made the comment a few days before the world championship kick-off, when both players would be in the tournament. O'Sullivan is vying for the seventh world championship title, and Wafi is participating in the draw for the main tournament for the first time. Asked about Wafi's criticism, O'Sullivan has publicly stated that he does not take it to heart. He said: "There's no reaction except what you know, everything is fun, it's all part of life. You know, just the words at the end of the day. We'll just have fun. I just thought it was funny. I find everything interesting these days, in fact, it takes a lot of time to get me in a bad mood. So I'm not going to take those things to heart because I still need to prepare for the next game.
WILLIAMS: I agree with some of Waffy's points
Wafi's remarks shocked the snooker community, and as other players flocked to Sheffield, many expressed their opinions on the controversy. Three-time world champion Mark Williams said he agreed with some of those points, saying seriously: "I agree with some of them, but some of them are really crazy." Especially the people who say O'Sullivan should retire, I mean, say that other young players can qualify, but their current bonus is because of the existence of people like O'Sullivan. But on another level, O'Sullivan was one of the most important players 10-20 years ago and he is still one of the most important players, and from this point of view, Wafi's point of view is completely correct, because O'Sullivan is indeed too strong! ”
Murphy: I think Waffy's remarks are weird
2005 world champion Sean Murphy was surprised by Wafi's remarks. Murphy said: "I didn't initially believe the statements were true because I thought they were a bit weird. My first reaction was that O'Sullivan and Wafi had co-planned and staged this farce in order to get some attention from the two of them and get more people to explore it. But after determining that this is not the case, I would find Wafi's comment very strange. Without O'Sullivan's presence, would Snooker be in its current position? I don't have that certainty, so it makes me incomprehensible. I would say that O'Sullivan's contribution to Snooker is no substitute, and if you think he can't do it, then you can try it yourself in his position. ”
BRECHEL: I very much agree with Wafi
Belgian genius Luca Brechel has publicly expressed his support for Wafi and said he fully agrees with Waffy's views. Brechel said: "I read the story yesterday and I think Wafi is absolutely right. I think it's good to have a snooker like Wafi who only says what he wants to say, he's not afraid to say it, even O'Sullivan, he dares to criticize. I think he did the right thing in this matter, and yes, I totally agree with him. O'Sullivan should focus on what he should be doing, not on other places. If there were more people in the world to criticize those who didn't do well, I believe the world would be a better place. ”
Selby: I want O'Sullivan to play forever
As O'Sullivan's sworn enemy, Selby said he didn't want to see O'Sullivan retire, and he wanted Snooker's greatest player to keep playing. Selby said: "Obviously, it's everyone's business. Obviously, O'Sullivan was the greatest player in our game and he did a lot for our game. Even a tramp will love his game and will be willing to buy tickets for his game. It's good for Snooker and for us players. As a player, we want O'Sullivan to play as long as possible because for me, if I'm going to win, I want to compete with a great player like O'Sullivan. Instead of playing against some other players. With O'Sullivan in place, Snooker will get better in the future. ”
Allen: O'Sullivan was very good for the game
Although Allen occasionally angered O'Sullivan, Wafi's views were still difficult for him to agree with, although he believed that Wafi had his own views on O'Sullivan's behavior. Allen said: "I think some of the things he's said over the years, you can know a little bit about them. I don't even think he sometimes believes what he says himself, but to say he's not good at the game. No, I would never think so. I'll admit that sometimes you'd rather have him quiet for a minute than let snooker make a statement. But that's just part of Ronnie O'Sullivan's performance, and you can't stop him from doing something like this. But what he did was good for Snooker, because he was talented enough to help Snooker go further. That's what other players can replace, and if you want to change someone to lead snooker, I haven't seen that person exist yet. So I think this statement is very irrational. ”