'Snooker is too boring' - Hossein Vafaei 'still friends' with Ronnie O'Sullivan despite 'retire' attack

Updated 20/04/2022 at 21:21 GMT

Hossein Vafaei does not have a problem with Ronnie O'Sullivan and has said that he is "still friends" with the Rocket, despite his verbal attack on the snooker legend at the start of the tournament. "Absolutely we are still friends, we always talk and laugh together!" Vafaei told Eurosport that the sport still has a long way to go and that he and O'Sullivan are very much on the same page.

'Snooker is too boring' - Vafaei 'still friends' with Ronnie despite comments

Hossein Vafaei has said "snooker is too boring" and laughed off suggestions that he has fallen out with Ronnie O'Sullivan despite his comments on retirement.

O’Sullivan had shrugged off criticism from the 27-year-old, who described him as "not good for the game" and told the snooker legend to retire from the sport.

The Iranian star had launched a scathing verbal attack on the 46-year-old as he called the record 38-time ranking event winner "disrespectful" for his perceived negative attitude to the sport and fellow players.

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Vafaei also accused O’Sullivan of failing to use his platform to promote the game: "You’ve been in the situation to make the game bigger, why haven’t you done it?"

The comments came just days before the start of the World Championships at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield as O’Sullivan chases a seventh title, but Vafaei is now able to laugh about it all and said the pair still have a good relationship.

"It's funny, snooker is too boring, it helps to make it more interesting for people!" Vafaei told Eurosport.

"I've been talking to Ronnie and he also said it's not our responsibility to make the game bigger. I wonder why this sport is not getting big, why are we not getting paid like tennis players and other top sports people.

"I hope snooker changes and becomes bigger and the prize money improves as well.

"We had a chat and he said we just have to focus on our job, and he was right and I totally respect him. Absolutely we are still friends, we always talk and laugh together!"

‘Knock me off my perch’ – O’Sullivan dismisses retirement talk

Asked about the criticism earlier in the tournament, O’Sullivan had brushed off the outburst and refused to take Vafaei's damning appraisal to heart.

"There is no reaction other than you know, it’s all fun,” he laughed.

"It's all part and parcel of life. You know, just words at the end of the day. We're just gonna have fun. I just find it funny. I find everything funny these days. It takes a lot to get me in a bad mood."

Vafaei’s comments had shocked the snooker world and many other players had their say on the controversy.

"Some of the points I agree with," said three-time world champion Mark Williams. "But some of them were crazy, really.

"Saying he should retire this, that and the other, I mean, the other younger players coming through, the prize money they’re playing for now is because of people like him.

"He was the big draw 10-20 years ago and he's the big draw by far now."