Snooker star Graeme Dott is kicked out of World Championship qualifier after being charged with child sex abuse
GRAEME DOTT has been officially booted out of qualifying for the World Snooker Championship.
Scotland‘s 2006 world champion was suspended on Wednesday as he faced accusations of sexually abusing two children aged around ten.
Dott, 47, is alleged to have attacked a girl between 1993 and 1996 in the Glasgow area.
And prosecutors also claim snooker‘s world No.56 Dott abused a boy between 2006 and 2010.
Dott, who hails from Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, did not attend a preliminary hearing held at the High Court in Glasgow this week.
But the cue star’s lawyers heard a judge set a further hearing for later in the year.
The two-time ranking tournament winner was set to face Hong Kong cueist Wang Yuchen in round two of qualifying for the Crucible on Friday afternoon at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
However his name has now been removed from the draw by officials.
Wang, 27, will receive a bye into round three where Englishman Robert Milkins awaits.
There was the prospect Dott could have played the qualifier had he managed to successfully appeal the governing body’s suspension within the 48-hour window before his appearance.
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) issued a statement on Wednesday.
The governing body said: “Graeme Dott has been suspended by the WPBSA due to a case which is scheduled to be heard before the High Court in Scotland.
“Whilst court proceedings are ongoing, it would be inappropriate for the WPBSA to make any further comment.”