Haneveer quits main tour

Bjorn Haneveer quit professional snooker yesterday due to financial reasons.

Picture by Monique Limbos

The 35-year-old is by far and away the greatest player to have come out Belgium and has been around in the game for many years.

But the financial burden of an increased number of tournaments has forced him to pull the plug - and focus more on his commentary work back home.

Bjorn isn't alone as a professional struggling to make ends meet by playing snooker. The new PTC series means players are having to pay out vast sums of money in expenses to play in them all before they can begin to earn ranking points and a living.

It's a sad tale for a player who first turned professional back in 1993, but it's a case of a double-edged sword.

Some people have been quick to point the finger of blame at Barry Hearn for neglecting players ranked at the lower end of the game but, I have to step to his defence.

Players have been asking for years for a full-time job, and the chance to play in more events. Barry has made that happen.

I'm honest enough to admit the new system isn't ideal. It still needs a few tweaks before it's quite right but, by the same token, you can't always choose how quickly you grow.

The fact of the matter for players is that there is now more money on the circuit than ever before, even if not straight away.

Like in any profession, the best prosper. No player has a divine right to big bucks. If you win matches, you win money. There's nothing unfair about that.

I sympathise for Bjorn and other players in his boat but snooker doesn't owe anyone a living. A snooker player has far greater earning potential than most 9-5 jobs but not everyone can take home the money.