By Kevin Murphy
Ronnie O’Sullivan has confirmed that he was offered money to throw a snooker match a number of years back.
During an appearance on The Clare Balding Show the snooker star discussed the controversies around bribery and outlined the details of the alleged bribe.
O’Sullivan said: “I was offered money once to throw a game but I couldn’t do it. It’s your sport, you love your sport, and they smell it anyway. The risk is just not worth taking and I couldn’t live with myself if I got involved in that.”
Bribery scandals have dogged the sport over the last decade, but following the banning of Stephan Lee for match-fixing the ‘Rocket’ believes his sport is in a far better place.
“I don’t think it’ll go on in snooker anymore because they really have made an example of Stephan Lee. They banned him for 12 years and I think a lot of the guys that were at it, they’re thinking they wouldn’t be able to play snooker ever again.”
Five-time world champion O’Sullivan has battled personal demons including depression, but is regarded by many as the most talented player in the game’s history.
O’Sullivan first mentioned the bribe in his autobiography back in 2013, when he said he was offered £20,000 to throw a match.
You can watch the full interview with O’Sullivan on The Clare Balding Show tonight on BT Sport 1 at 10pm.