Former world champion Shaun Murphy has described Hossein Vafaei’s criticism of the Crucible Theatre as “almost sacrilege”, saying the Iranian has “not helped the sport at all”.
On Sunday, world number 19 Vafaei said the Crucible, which has hosted the World Snooker Championship since 1977, “smells really bad”, the practice room is like a “garage” and the tournament should move elsewhere.
After his 10-5 win over Lyu Haotian, Murphy responded to those comments, with a passionate defence of the venue, regarded as the sport’s home.
“This is a working theatre, it’s not a purpose-built snooker venue,” said Murphy. “We’re coming up to the 50th anniversary of snooker being here and if World Snooker Tour turned up tomorrow and did a site visit, they would probably not come here because it’s not big enough, but there’s nothing we can do about that.
“But this is holy ground. It’s almost sacrilege for a professional snooker player to be so openly critical of our home. Hossein should educate himself on how our tour works in relationships with the WST and our broadcast partners, our venues and how special this place is.”
Murphy – who became world champion at the age of 22 in 2005 and who faces Scotland’s Stephen Maguire in the last 16 later this week – felt Vafaei’s quotes were disappointing.
“Does he thinking he is helping our sport grow by being so openly critical of one of our biggest partners? He has not helped the sport at all,” added Murphy.
“I was always taught by my mum if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything.”
The Crucible only holds 980 people and its contract expires in 2027. Some people, including Vafaei and seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, say the tournament should be held elsewhere, with China and Saudi Arabia among the options.
But Murphy felt it would be a mistake to move the event from Sheffield city centre.
“I don’t want the snooker to leave here,” added Murphy. “We shouldn’t have any other event here, the World Championship should stay in this building, but it’s economics, it’s our biggest event in our smallest building.
“WST could sell this place out five times over, 10 times over for the final. It can’t carry on as it is when our contract ends. I don’t think anyone wants to leave apart from Hossein and Ronnie O’Sullivan. Everyone else wants to stay but it can’t stay as it is and something has to give.”
Murphy is a non-executive player director on the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) board and felt the Iranian, who has played at the Crucible in each of the past three years, would not have the same attachment to the venue as other players.
“Maybe having not grown up in the UK, he is not emotionally connected to this tournament as many of the UK players are. Perhaps it’s not as special to Hossein as it is for the rest of us,” said Murphy.
“Maybe he didn’t come here as a nine-year-old as I did and remembers running after Steve Davis for his autograph. This is holy ground for snooker players and Hossein should remember that. He said he does not want to come back so don’t. He is not forced to.”
