Controversial snooker ace removed from role immediately as Mark Allen left unhappy

Wales Online

08-05-2025

Controversial snooker ace removed from role immediately as Mark Allen left unhappy
Matthew Selt has been removed from his position as vice-chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association with immediate effect - and Mark Allen isn't happy
Mark Allen isn't totally happy with the decision
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Matthew Selt, a contentious figure in the world of professional snooker, has been ousted from his role as vice-chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (Players).
Despite only being appointed last year, Selt's departure is effective immediately. The WPBSA players' association released a statement saying: "On 6 May 2025 The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (Players) Limited held a general meeting of its members at which an ordinary resolution to remove Mr. Matthew Selt from the office of director was passed, with immediate effect.
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"The company will proceed in accordance with its governance and regulatory obligations following this change and no further comment will be made at this time."
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The reasons behind Selt's dismissal remain undisclosed. However, former world No. 1 Mark Allen has voiced his disapproval over the lack of player involvement in the decision-making process.
Allen took to X, where he shared the statement and commented: "Although factually correct, the WPBSA's players only member is the WPBSA. No players got a vote on this."
Earlier this year, in February, Selt received a three-month suspended ban and a £10,000 fine for his "rude and aggressive" behaviour during the 2024 Saudi Arabia Masters. He faced three charges of breaching the code of conduct at the Riyadh event in September.
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A decision on removing Matthew Selt was passed with immediate effect.
(Image: (Image: Getty) )
The world No. 34 faced allegations of aggressive behaviour and using offensive language towards a Matchroom executive and another WPBSA member. After his 5-3 defeat to China's Pang Junxu, Selt was also accused of sending an abusive message to a fellow WPBSA players' association member.
Selt admitted to all three charges and issued a "full and wholehearted apology" to those affected, acknowledging that he was under "a significant amount of stress and pressure" during the incident. He was further instructed to contribute £11,000 towards the WPBSA's legal expenses.
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Following his 10-4 loss to Xiao Guodong in the World Championship first round, Selt, who had successfully qualified for the Crucible after beating Jimmy Robertson, also issued an apology for his conduct during their 'judgement day' match.
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Selt, 40, expressed remorse, admitting: "I have to apologise and say sorry to Jimmy [Robertson]. He said that I was distracting him and putting him off. So this win, there is no good feeling whatsoever towards it."
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He continued: "My emotions are pretty numb, to be honest. Jimmy pulled me to one side after one of the frames and had a word. He said: 'What are you doing? You're basically putting me off.' Which I obviously wasn't trying to do, but obviously got to him.
"I feel genuinely gutted, to be honest. I'm happy to win but not to the point where my actions may have contributed towards his declining performance. That's sport, I suppose. I wasn't doing anything completely out of order. But my feeling is pretty flatline and I just want to send my apologies to Jimmy."