The World Pool Association (WPA) have backed down on plans to ban players who compete in non-sanctioned tournaments and instead decided to recognise World Nineball Tour majors as sanctioned events.
The WPA unveiled plans to throw the book at players who chose to compete on the World Nineball Tour following their Qatar general assembly in October, although that drastic decision has now been rescinded.
It was a measure which was discussed last year intended to force promoters Matchroom into sanctioning their WNT majors, but the two entities have since been in contact and made the players their first and foremost priority.
Jorgen Sandman, the WPA general secretary, released a statement on Wednesday morning to communicate the move, announcing that seven WNT majors would be treated as sanctioned, including the Mosconi Cup, the US Open, Premier League Pool and the World Cup of Pool.
The Hanoi Open in Vietnam was not included in the tournaments listed, however, the WPA are ‘prepared to sanction further tournaments on application by Matchroom and will continue to work with them to ensure that this happens’.
The World Pool Championship, recently announced to be held in Saudi Arabia for the next ten years, will be WPA-sanctioned, with Sandman adding that he is ‘delighted that Matchroom have made this a million-dollar tournament’.
