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'Ruining livelihoods': Snooker player blows up at spectator's 'unfortunate' gaffe

A top snooker player in the UK has been left ‘absolutely incandescent’ after a phone went off in the audience, distracting him and ultimately costing him a crucial match.

Former world champion Stuart Bingham’s frustration was palpable after a phone rang in the audience.

Bingham was leading 46-18 in the ninth frame when the phone rang.

After taking a moment to regain his composure, Bingham missed a relatively simple chance to pocket a red.

The tension was palpable after the miss, with Bingham giving the guilty spectator a sarcastic thumbs up before slumping to his seat.

He went on to lose 6-4 to three time UK champion John Higgins, and made his feelings clear after the match.

“It is a joke. It is ruining people’s livelihoods,” Bingham told Eurosport after the match.

“People forgetting to turn their phones off is a joke.

Snooker champion Stuart Bingham is pictured gesturing to a person in the audience after he was distracted by their mobile phone ringing.
Snooker champion Stuart Bingham sarcastically gestures to the audience after a mobile phone rang as he was taking a shot, something he blamed for his eventual defeat in the UK Snooker Championship. Pictures: Eurosport

“(If it didn’t ring) I am 5-4 up, and I would have a couple of chances to get over the line.”

In the immediate aftermath, commentators for Eurosport said Bingham had every right to be filthy with the guilty spectator.

“Bingham is entitled to be furious, you’ve seen his reaction,” they said.

“He is absolutely incandescent, and you can’t blame him.

“This surely has more than a little to do with what’s happened just now...that was very unfortunate.”

Rugby Australia hits out at Folau settlement rumours

Raelene Castle has hit back at reports claiming Rugby Australia and Israel Folau settled for around $8 million following the end of the nation’s highest-profile feud.

On Wednesday, Folau posted a video to YouTube in the hours after reaching a settlement with Rugby Australia over his unfair dismissal claim, saying he has been ‘vindicated’.

Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle took to Twitter and said the numbers thrown around in the media were “wildly inaccurate” and that the agreement between the two parties remained confidential.

“Folau settlement numbers are confidential but numbers being speculated are wildly inaccurate,” Castle wrote on Twitter.