Snooker Fever in China
How long before China emerge as a threat to the long held British hegemony in snooker? Snooker Fever has taken over China, there is everything from multi floored 100 table city centre clubs to makeshift tables in the poorer areas.
The British and Irish domination of the game comes largely from historical inheritance, whereas Chinas progression in the sport results not just on weight of numbers but also the national ability to work extremely hard at chosen sports, in a similar way to how they conquered table tennis some 50 years ago now.
China is organising the sport with international success in mind, a new state of the art academy with 40 snooker tables is being planned for Beijing. The Chinese government support this as a potential medal opportunity just the same as in other sports. Once there are at least 3 Chinese inside the World top 16, they can see a possibility to produce a bid to stage the World Championship.
The crucibles contract to stage this Championship runs until 2010, a suspected renewal of this deal with WPBSA would account for another 3 years subsequently but after that who knows? China?
