Chinese snooker player Wu Yize was subjected to vile racist abuse during his last-16 match at the Snooker Shoot Out tournament in Leicester on Sunday.
The 21-year-old was targeted by a spectator who shouted “egg fried rice” whilst he was lining up a shot against Elliot Slessor.
The incident has sparked fresh concerns about crowd behaviour at the tournament, where audience participation is actively encouraged.
The incident occurred during a tense safety exchange on the yellow ball, with both players vying for position.
Wu Yize was subjected to a racist chant in his match
PA
The match referee responded by calling for “order,” though this did little to quell the noise from the crowd.
Yize appeared to ignore the racist taunt, continuing with his shot before returning to his seat without making any complaint.
The Eurosport commentary team did not appear to pick up on the racist remark during their broadcast.
The Snooker Shoot Out tournament stands unique in professional snooker as the only event where crowd noise is actively encouraged.
The annual ranking tournament features a modified format, with matches played over a single frame lasting no more than 10 minutes.
Wu Yize appeared to ignore the vile comment
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The competition is specifically designed to attract younger audiences to the sport, with random draws before each round adding to its unconventional nature.
However, the recent incident has led many to question whether the relaxed atmosphere has gone too far.
Social media users were quick to condemn the behaviour, with many expressing their disgust at the incident.
One user on X wrote: “Great tournament idea but one or two absolute dinlows ruined it for a lot of snooker fans who had paid good money to be there.”
“Had to turn it off last night, the crowd were insufferable, was so cringey my feet were curling out through my socks,” posted another user.
“Since I began attending the Shootout in 2020, I have never been so appalled,” added a third.
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Wu Yize made it to the semi finals
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Despite the unsavoury incident, Wu progressed through his match against Slessor.
The Chinese player went on to reach the semi-finals of the tournament, where he was eventually defeated by Tom Ford.
Ford would go on to claim his maiden ranking title by winning the tournament.
In other notable achievements from the weekend, Yize’s compatriot Zhou Yuelong recorded the highest break of the tournament with 101.
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