World Snooker Tour respond after £10.2m lawsuit launched against them
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World Snooker Tour say they reject and will defend claims made against them in a £10.2m lawsuit launched in the Competition Appeal Tribunal. NST Worldwide claim that ‘unlawful and anti-competitive practices’ have been used to prevent snooker players ‘playing in tournaments, events, or matches organised by competitor promoters.’.
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Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan owns a stake in NST Worldwide, while chairman of World Seniors Snooker Jason Francis and lawyer Mayus Karia are directors. Francis announced on social media on Friday: ‘I can confirm that my company NST Worldwide Ltd has launched legal proceedings in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (case number 1701/5/7/25) against World Snooker Ltd (WST), it’s holding company World Snooker Holdings Ltd and the WPBSA for abuse of their dominant position contrary to section 18 of the Competition Act 1998 (Chapter II Prohibition) and a further claim that they have engaged in agreements, decisions and/or concerted practices which have as their object of effect the prevention, distortion and restriction of competition, contrary to Section 2 of Competition Act 1998 (Chapter I Prohibition).
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‘The infringements relate to the setting of unlawful and anti-competitive provisions in the contractual relationships between WSL and professional snooker players, and WSL’s unlawful and anti-competitive practices that have prevented professional snooker players playing in tournaments, events, or matches organised by competitor promoters, including NST (which included broadcasting snooker events on Channel 5 and Channel 4 this depriving snooker fans more chances to watch snooker on free to air TV).
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