Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan’s Asjad Iqbal has been offered a place on World Professional Snooker Tour after Thailand’s Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon was withdrawn from the tour due to disciplinary issues. Asjad got the place as he was on the priority list on the Asia-Oceania Q School Order of Merit. “After careful consideration, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) Board has taken the decision not to admit Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon as a Member of the WPBSA,” the WPBSA said in a statement. “This decision has been taken in the best interests of the WPBSA and the sport. This means that he will be unable to take a place on the World Snooker Tour for the forthcoming season. This is due to outstanding serious disciplinary matters from when he was last on the World Snooker Tour in 2015. Thanawat is cooperating fully with the WPBSA to resolve the outstanding issues,” it said in a statement. The World Snooker Tour place will now be offered to Asjad of Pakistan who is the next in line on the Asia-Oceania Q School Order of Merit. Earlier, Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif had also qualified for a professional tour after qualifying for the final of the Q-School tournament. Asif had beaten Asjad in the semi-final. These two players, however, will have the challenge to manage finances to stay on World Snooker Tour.