Snooker star handed ban and five-figure fine for 'aggressive and rude behaviour'

Matthew Selt will have to cough up £21,000 after accepting that his behaviour at the Saudi Masters was aggressive and rude.

Selt made headlines in September when he dramatically walked out of his match against Pang Junxu after missing a straightforward pot. The 39-year-old Englishman missed the black and then let his frustration get the better of him, flicking a red with his hand.

Clearly seething, but only trailing 4-3 in frames and behind 10-1 in the eighth frame, he decided to concede defeat. Selt stunned the crowd by speaking to the referee, gathering his belongings, shaking hands with Junxu and walking out of the arena.

That wasn’t his only erratic behaviour at the tournament, with the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) now slapping him with a £10,000 fine and ordering him to pay £11,000 towards their legal costs after the conclusion of a disciplinary process.

Selt was accused of being aggressive, rude and abusive to a Matchroom executive and of sending an abusive message and being aggressive to a member of the WPBSA. He accepted the allegations and issued “a full and wholehearted apology” to the people involved.

The WPBSA noted that Selt, who is vice-chairman of the players’ association, was under extreme stress at the time. He has agreed that he will be hit with a three-month suspension from snooker if he breaches the rules again before the end of the 2025/26 season.

Selt, who is the world No.33, was previously investigated by the World Snooker Tour in 2022 after calling an autistic fan "mong" and "pervert" on social media. He also drew criticism in December after an outburst during German Masters qualification rounds at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.

Selt shouted "Oh my god!" and chucked an object down on the table next to him after his opponent, 18-year-old Latvian Artemijs Zizins, sealed the match with a fluke. Speaking to Stephen Hendry about it, Selt explained: “Such a tough loss. It really hurt so, it is what it is. If you’re not allowed to show any emotion after the game has finished then what chance have you got?

“It was a massive game in terms of ranking and that event is so big. You want to be in those series. It’s just tough to take. What do you want me to do, smile?”

Selt was playing with a broken cue at the Saudi Masters after his cue was damaged on the flight to Riyadh. His decision to withdraw against Junxu saw him walk away from the chance of winning the £500,000 top prize on offer for the tournament’s winner.