(Reuters) -Four-time world snooker champion John Higgins has been named Director and Chairman of the newly-formed Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA), the independent players' body said on Wednesday, as it seeks a stronger voice in the sport.
Among those on the players' board are Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, and Mark Selby, while Ronnie O'Sullivan, Ding Junhui and Xiao Guodong have signed up as members, the PSPA added.
"The PSPA has been founded at this time because players currently do not believe they have a large enough voice in the commercial direction of the sport and that they feel the governance of snooker, as a whole, should factor in more of the views of the players," PSPA said in a media release.
The association says it wants to have a collaborative relationship with snooker's governing bodies, including the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), World Snooker and the existing WPBSA Players Board.
"Our sport deserves a strong, independent players' association that stands for fairness, transparency, and progress," Higgins said.
"We seek to work closely with the WPBSA, World Snooker, and the WPBSA Players Board to ensure that players benefit from a full suite of support mechanisms ... while also maintaining true independence when it comes to commercial negotiations and agreements."
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
