The professional Snooker The Players’ Association (PSPA) is pushing hard for change to the game, asking governing body the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association (WPBSA) to call an EGM, with the date of the crisis meeting to be announced soon.
The PSPA was established as an independent players’ union in August last year. with John Higgins as chairman and a string of big names on the board of players.
They now have more than 50 percent of the pro tour signed up and have put in place a number of changes they want to see implemented in billiards.
Progress has been slow in bringing about these changes, but the PSPA has made a significant move by asking the WPBSA to call an Extraordinary General Meeting, a request which will be approved immediately.
said WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson subway: ‘The WPBSA and I welcome any open player meetings we can have with our players and any player representatives.
“I welcome the EGM. I welcome the formality and importance of an EGM. So I’m looking forward to seeing as many members there as possible.’
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The PSPA has already made clear a number of issues they want to address, telling Metro earlier this year that tournament scheduling, health care coverage for players, the ranking system, WPBSA funding, disciplinary processes and trade opportunities for players are all being brought to the table for discussion.
A meeting between the PSPA and the WPBSA was held at the Scottish Open in Edinburgh in December, which both sides described as positive and constructive as a number of potential changes were discussed.
The players’ union are now looking to push forward with those changes actually coming, which is why they have called for the EGM.
There is some frustration from the PSPA with the pace of arranging meetings with the governing body, although the WPBSA rejects the suggestion that the delays have come from their end.
The PSPA now has considerable power as an association representing the majority of professional touring and will be waiting to agree some changes they feel will benefit their members.
Some areas will be easier to reach an agreement or compromise than others, but change is certainly happening, with the WPBSA already in the process of changing their policy on health care coverage for players and revising the ranking system.
Currently, private healthcare cover is only available to players in the top 64 rankings, but the PSPA is keen to extend it to the whole tournament.
The ranking system has long been a point of contention, with the current money list being challenged and the PSPA keen to move to a points-based system, which they believe would be fairer and a more accurate reflection of player achievements.
There will be debates and discussions on all issues and the hope that changes can be agreed upon in order to still be cooperative.
The PSPA insists that the EGM was not called with the intention of carrying out any kind of coup by removing WPBSA board members.
The focus will turn to the meeting after the World Cup, as PSPA chairman John Higgins and players’ board members Mark Allen and Shaun Murphy are still at the event.
Murphy and Higgins meet in one semi-final, while Allen faces Wu Yize in the other, both starting on Thursday.
Higgins hasn’t said much publicly about the PSPA since it was formed, when asked about progress ahead of the World Championships he said: “It’s been a bit quiet because there’s more going on behind the scenes, but it’ll pick up soon I’m sure.”
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