Ronnie O'Sullivan breaks snooker rule during Grand Prix final vs Judd Trump
Ronnie O’Sullivan has a well-earned reputation as snooker’s maverick – and the Rocket has been breaking one of the sport’s rules during his run to the World Grand Prix final.
O’Sullivan has been in brilliant form of late, coming from behind to beat Ali Carter 10-7 in the Masters final last weekend. His eighth title at Ally Pally has been followed by another final, with the 48-year-old taking on Judd Trump in Leicester on Sunday.
He will be breaking snooker convention when he comes out at The Morningside Arena due to the way he is dressed. O’Sullivan has been wearing chunky black trainers, rather than the usual smart black shoes, of late due to a foot injury.
O’Sullivan has been given special permission by World Snooker to wear trainers, as he explained to Eurosport in November: "I’ve got plantar fasciitis which is, the easiest way to explain it is, it’s like a bruise on your heel. So when you put your foot down, it’s really sore. Leather-soled shoes just absolutely batter my feet to pieces. So I've had to resort to getting some really big old soles on them, just to sort of give my foot a rest, basically."
Plantar fasciitis is a common – and potentially very painful – condition. It is an inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of the foot which connects the heel to the toes and can be helped by wearing comfortable shoes with arch support.
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O’Sullivan needed to check with the authorities before deciding on his footwear, because World Snooker rules outline what is normally expected of players. They state: “Formal shoes that must not expose the feet and of a style that is befitting whilst wearing a Dress or Lounge suit, constructed with a traditional heel profile and dress soles (commando or lug soles are not permitted).
“Loafers (horsebit, tassel or penny) and men’s dress boots are permitted but must have a traditional heel profile. Sport shoes, high boots and shoes with a complete flat sole are not acceptable. Shoes must be clean.”
Ronnie O'Sullivan is wearing comfortable black trainers (George Wood/Getty Images)O’Sullivan likely picked up his injury due to his other love in sport: running. Plantar fasciitis is especially common among runners who have worn out their running shoes by pounding the pavement – and O’Sullivan is certainly a keen runner, having called his first autobiography simply “Running”.
In his most recent book, Unbreakable, he writes: “Before I found running I’d be down at the venue, hanging around the hotel, eating too much. That all disappeared the day I bought my first pair of running shoes.
“I started running. I developed a close set of friends through that world. I went to rehab. I got on with my work and tried not to react to every situation I wasn’t happy with. If I hadn’t have done all of that? I’d have been screwed. I’d have been like Alex Higgins. I’d probably have died from a drugs overdose and it would all have been self-inflicted.”
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