Crucible World Snooker Championship: Hossein Vafaei claims historic Sheffield venue 'smells really bad'

A top snooker player has criticised Sheffield’s Crucible theatre as “smelly,” “so bad,” and “like playing in a garage” after crashing out of the World Snooker Championship this weekend.

Iranian player Hossein Vafaei has become the latest player calling for the tournament to leave the Steel City’s world-famous venue.

His comments come after suffering a 10-5 defeat at the hands of former champion Judd Trump.

"Everything's so bad - if you ask me if I want to come back here, I would tell you no way," said Vafaei.

"Forget the history, you want to go somewhere really nice as a player. You walk round the Crucible and it smells really bad. You go to other countries, and everything is shiny. But here it's completely different.

"The practice room - do you see anything special? I feel like I'm practising in a garage."

Speculation over the future of the Crucible, which has staged he tournament since 1977, has been heightened since world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan suggested it should be moved to Saudi Arabia or China when the existing deal expires in 2027.

O’Sullivan is not the first star to suggest moving the championship, with former winners Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy and Judd Trump previously having questioned whether the 980-capacity venue is still fit to host the sport’s showpiece event.

Vafaei, who made his debut in 2022, is clearly no fan and continued: "Look at the China venues, how fantastic they treat the players, a red carpet and an opening ceremony. The players are treated like stars. But here no one looks after the players, before and after the match no one cares who you are.

"If they don't want to lose the Crucible invest some money, make it shinier, make it nicer, make it more luxury for the people. If they make it cleaner and nicer, people will enjoy it."

World Snooker Tour responded in a statement: "The Crucible is a historic venue and there are limitations given the size of the backstage areas. We work with the Crucible to make it as welcoming as possible for players."

Other players, including Anthony McGill and Sheffield’s Yan Bingtao, have spoken out in support of The Crucible, described by many as snooker’s spiritual home.

The World Snooker Tour (WST) president Barry Hearn has always said he is keen to keep the event in the Steel City though he feels a bigger venue is needed.

Plans have been drawn up for a new purpose-built ‘Billiardrome’ arena in Sheffield, and Hearn said in 2022 that he would like to knock The Crucible down and build a new 3,000-seat state-of-the-art arena in its place to keep the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield for another 30 years.

But it’s not clear whether any progress has been made in talks between the WST and Sheffield City Council when it comes to providing a new, larger venue in Sheffield.

Sheffield City Council has previously said: “We have an agreement with World Snooker to host the tournament until 2027.

“We are working with World Snooker on a new agreement for the event to remain in Sheffield.

“We are committed to securing the tournament's long-term future in the city. Sheffield is proud to be the home of the World Snooker Championship and looking forward to another fantastic tournament this year.”