Allison Fisher: Pool pioneer retiring from professional competition after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
Seven-time World Women's Snooker champion Allison Fisher is retiring from cue sports after sharing the news that she has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
Friday 2 October 2026 22:36, UK
Pool pioneer Allison Fisher is retiring from professional competition after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
'The Duchess of Doom' is widely regarded as the greatest female pool player of all time and one of the greatest female snooker players.
She rose to prominence as a dominant force in women's snooker before moving to the US in 1995 to play on the pool circuit.
Speaking on social media, Fisher, who was awarded an MBE in 2022 for her services to sport, said: "I have some deeply personal news that I'm now ready to share. Last year, I was diagnosed with the early stages of Parkinson's disease.
"I chose to keep my diagnosis private for a while because I needed time to process what it meant for me, my life and, of course, my career.
"Cue sports have been such an enormous part of my life. I've been incredibly fortunate to play the game I love at the highest level for so many years, travel the world, compete against amazing players and make friendships that will last a lifetime.
"As Parkinson's has begun to affect the precision I need to compete at the highest level, I have made the very difficult decision to retire from professional competition.
"This may be the end of one chapter, but it is certainly not the end of my journey in cue sports.
"I still love this game as much as I ever have, and I plan to remain very much a part of it - through teaching, commentary, Legends of the Cue, appearances and other projects that I look forward to sharing with you.
"You can read more about my diagnosis and my decision in the latest issue of Billiards Digest and hear more from me on Legends of the Cue.
"Most importantly, I want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my career. The messages, friendships, memories and encouragement have meant more to me than you may ever know. There is still much more ahead."
Fisher won the World Women's Snooker Championship for the first time following a 5-1 defeat of Stacey Hillyard in 1985.
She would go on to claim the title on seven occasions with her final crown coming in 1994 against the same opponent.
