O'Sullivan rapped for no-shows
Ronnie O'Sullivan has received a suspended fine and a warning for failing to attend eight tournaments in 2010.
Last Updated: 28/08/12 4:58pm
Ronnie O'Sullivan has been handed a suspended fine and issued with a warning for failing to attend a number of tournaments in 2010.
O'Sullivan, arguably the sport's greatest ever talent, was charged with not having a reasonable excuse for withdrawing from 11 events between August 2010 and March 2012.
And on Tuesday at a hearing with the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association the 36-year-old was found guilty on eight of the charges.
O'Sullivan presented medical advice at the hearing and the sport's governing body, which cleared him on three of the counts, released a subsequent statement explaining their action.
"It could not be shown that he (O'Sullivan) did not have a reasonable excuse in relation to his late withdrawal from one event in 2011 and two in 2012," the statement read.
"He was however found not to have a reasonable excuse in relation to the eight late withdrawals in 2010."
O'Sullivan was found to be in breach of the sport's rule 1.3, which declares a member must play in a tournament in which he has entered.
The four-time world champion was given a suspended fine of £1,000 plus a formal warning and told to pay £1,000 costs.
World Snooker have long tried to get O'Sullivan to comply with their regulations, and it was only last month that he agreed to return to the main Tour and sign a player's contract.