Phones going off in matches

[Shockerz]

There's a real problem with it in local league as well. I've had to ask someone to turn their phone off in every match I've been involved in so far this season both as a player and a referee.
Las week a player from the opposing team entered the snooker room and took out his phone while standing right beside the table during the first frame before he even sat down, this week it was some blokes girlfriend sat in the shadows with her face lit up bright blue texting away.
Biggest bug is champions league on a tuesday (league night) when they're more interested in the diving prima donna's than the snooker match they're involved in.
It's a league rule written in the rules in the fixture book that no mobile phones are allowed to be switched on in the snooker room during a match yet it's ignored. Problem with our league though is that there are rules but no penalties for any transgressions

If was down to me any player or person attached to a snooker team whose phone is switched on or goes off during a frame would mean the immediate loss of that frame for the team they play for or are associated with. If you keep letting it go unpunished it will never go away.
Didn't John William once say "answer that and tell them you're on your way home"

We had a big push at our club around three years ago with notices and signs. We also discussed it at the league meeting as it was getting out of hand.

Within a week I saw the league president using his phone right through the evening; I nudged him on it but he was back doing it a couple of games later.

I've had it against me so many times I just sit down now and when they ask what's up I just say I was waiting for them to play snooker again.

There are a couple of guys I don't practice with now as if they are not potting they are browsing the phone and not getting the balls out. When someone is on the phone and moving you can see the light going around like a light sabre at times.

I agree with vmax, the only way to stop it is penalties, warnings just don't work!

[vmax]

There's a real problem with it in local league as well. I've had to ask someone to turn their phone off in every match I've been involved in so far this season both as a player and a referee.
Las week a player from the opposing team entered the snooker room and took out his phone while standing right beside the table during the first frame before he even sat down, this week it was some blokes girlfriend sat in the shadows with her face lit up bright blue texting away.
Biggest bug is champions league on a tuesday (league night) when they're more interested in the diving prima donna's than the snooker match they're involved in.
It's a league rule written in the rules in the fixture book that no mobile phones are allowed to be switched on in the snooker room during a match yet it's ignored. Problem with our league though is that there are rules but no penalties for any transgressions

If was down to me any player or person attached to a snooker team whose phone is switched on or goes off during a frame would mean the immediate loss of that frame for the team they play for or are associated with. If you keep letting it go unpunished it will never go away.
Didn't John William once say "answer that and tell them you're on your way home"

[Shockerz]

Good idea imo. Warn everyone they'll be removed if their phone goes off and then no one can have any complaints.

I've always felt a well timed ring of a phone could be used to break a players concentration on a key shot. If you've placed a large bet on the other guy...

Especially if it happens to the same player more than once, it would get in their head!

[magicman]

Good idea imo. Warn everyone they'll be removed if their phone goes off and then no one can have any complaints.

I've always felt a well timed ring of a phone could be used to break a players concentration on a key shot. If you've placed a large bet on the other guy...

[Rane]

This ones the best one 1 min 30 Maguire - classic

I miss Dechawat Poomjaeng. He was a real character and always some entertaining matches.

[andy 7671]

Seems like the Scottish have more decorum on this matter, cant recall the refs having to admonish anyone in Glasgow.

[crocodile]

This should definitely be the rule. I really wonder why this hasn't been done.

I remember that Ding Junhui was clearly disturbed by a ringing phone a couple of years ago - I don't remember which match (his opponent may have been O'Sullivan) or even which frame, but the frame was at a critical stage when he was on the colours and he missed an absolute sitter of a green directly after he was distracted. Had he potted green, the remaining balls were so favourably placed that he could only have potted the rest, but he didn't and consequently lost the frame.

This would appear to add further weight to the argument that an offending spectator should at the very least be removed from the room.

[Smeeagain]

This should definitely be the rule. I really wonder why this hasn't been done.

I don't disagree but the rules of the game only apply to those involved in the match (i.e. players and ref). It would have to be rule of the venue imho

[jamesg19851]

This ones the best one 1 min 30 Maguire - classic

The clip at 5min 30 of Graeme Dott is hilarious.

[JimMalone]

Maybe there could be a ruling that before you go in to watch a match, if your phone goes off at any point you will be escorted out of the room. Maybe that would encourage people to definitely turn their phones off or on silent before entering the room.

This should definitely be the rule. I really wonder why this hasn't been done.

[inevermissblue]

That would suggest that your opponents aren't that bothered about their performance if they are preoccupied by a phone.

[Selbyjustbegun]

Yeah phones going off can be quite alarming. Sometimes alarms go off as well, so just putting it in silent isn't enough. I don't think the situation is too bad though.

[andy carson]

ref should be given a sledge hammer and a sweeping brush at the start of a session

[vmax4steve]

At The Masters in Augusta they don't allow mobile phones on the course, snooker should be the same.

[Byrom]

This ones the best one 1 min 30 Maguire - classic