The expected decision was revealed by the World Snooker Tour.
WST has confirmed that there will be no Chinese events on the 2020/21 snooker calendar as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
It had been hoped that some tournaments might be scheduled for the second half of the campaign, but as the worldwide struggle with COVID-19 continues that became increasingly unlikely.
In January, the China Open at the end of last season became the first of numerous snooker events to be cancelled in 2020.
Other annual Chinese competitions in Shanghai, Yushan, and Daqing were subsequently postponed as this campaign got under way behind closed doors in Milton Keynes.
The Chinese authorities simultaneously decided in the summer that no sporting events would be staged in the country for the remainder of this calendar year.
With the virus continuing to be a major issue in many countries around the world and widespread travel restrictions or quarantine rules still required, it was obvious that the events in Asia would have to be cancelled completely.
It’s undoubtedly a setback for WST as it continues to try and stage as many tournaments as it can during this makeshift season.
The Chinese snooker events are some of the most lucrative on the schedule, including the China Open in Beijing which boasted a total prize fund of more than £1 million in 2019.
It will be hoped that the COVID-19 crisis will have improved sufficiently by the time next season begins.
Meanwhile, WST has also announced a brand new ranking event that will take place between January and March next year.
The WST Pro Series will feature 128 players split into 16 groups of eight, competing in a round robin format.
The 16 group winners go into two further groups of eight, with those two group winners to contest the final.
The WST Pro Series, in which matches are the best of three frames, will have total prize money in excess of £300,000, and the winner will earn a place in the 2021 Champion of Champions.
The 2021 Championship League – reverting back to non-ranking status – has also been added to the WST calendar for the second half of the current season.
Yes, they can hold snooker tournaments in China – a couple of weeks ago there was a 96-player teams event in Xi’an. But the issue is overseas travellers and quarantine. This is really terrible news, especially if any of the China events drop off the schedule permanently, which can happen if the existing contracts are severed.
I’m still not convinced by WST’s newfound obsession with group-structured tournaments. I understand the rationale, but I worry if the logistics are fully thought through. They haven’t got it quite right before and they have shown a reluctance to learn. They should at least pay the players by match, not by group position. At that stage of the season, someone could be relegated from the tour as a result of matches played between others, possibly dead matches.
I know David found the last Championship League a little dull and I share his feelings as these group events are far too lengthy and convoluted. Would a couple of knockout events not be feasible instead, or even a doubles event to add a freshness to the calendar. The venue is not an issues as Marshall Arena seems locked in for much of the campaign.
Lewis’s points about the impact on the future of a player is a valid one. Dead rubbers make for poor television and playing the tournament in phases affects the capacity for the event’s narrative to build momentum. I’d be surprised if any major broadcasters choose to cover it.
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