Mark Allen has withdrawn from another event on the World Snooker Tour as his increasingly lengthy absence from competitive action continues.
The Northern Irishman has pulled out of next week’s International Championship qualifying round for personal reasons, WST announced on Thursday.
Allen was due to face Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon on Saturday, September 19, but he has been replaced in the draw by Duane Jones.
The qualifying round takes place from September 17-19, with the main International Championship following in Nanjing, China from October 31 to November 7.
It is the latest in a growing list of events that Allen will miss during what has become an unusually long break from competitive snooker for one of the sport’s leading players.
The 40-year-old has now withdrawn from the China Open, Wuhan Open, British Open, English Open, and the International Championship, having already skipped the campaign-opening Championship League and the Shanghai Masters invitational.
Allen was due to defend his English Open title earlier this month but withdrew from the event for personal reasons.
The prolonged absence extends a period away from competitive action that began after Allen’s dramatic World Championship semi-final defeat to Wu Yize at the Crucible.
Chasing a maiden Sheffield crown, Allen led late on but missed an easy match-ball black in the 32nd frame as Wu fought back to force a decider.
The Chinese player eventually won 17-16 before going on to claim his maiden world title in Sheffield.
Allen subsequently didn’t enter the Shanghai Masters for the second successive season and has since missed every scheduled event on the 2026/27 calendar.
“I am gutted to miss these two events in China and my apologies to the fans and promoters in Taiyuan and Wuhan,” Allen said at the time.
“I love playing in China and appreciate the support we always get there, but there are personal reasons why I can’t make it this time.”
“I hope to be back playing in China later this season.”
There has been little indication of when the former Masters champion intends to return, although he recently posted a cryptic update on Instagram.
Allen shared a picture of a hooded figure with Disturbed’s cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s The Sound of Silence playing over the post.
He did not provide any explanation alongside the image, and it was not clear whether the post was directly related to his absence from the snooker circuit.
Allen could potentially return at the Shenzhen Open towards the end of September, although there has been no announcement regarding his participation in the event yet.
His home tournament, the Northern Ireland Open, follows in October.
The extended spell away from competitive action is particularly notable given Allen’s status as one of the game’s leading players.
The current world number 13 has won 12 ranking titles during his career and reached the top of the world rankings in 2024.
His most recent ranking title came at the English Open in 2025, when he beat Zhou Yuelong in a dramatic final that went the distance.
For now, though, there remains no clear indication of when the Pistol will return to the table.
Elsewhere, it was also announced a few days ago that Ronnie O’Sullivan has similarly pulled out of this year’s International Championship.
Featured photo credit: WST
