Shaun Murphy dusts down snooker's most infamous spat but can't resist a fresh dig about chalk-gate

Graeme Young
·2-min read
BEIJING, CHINA - MARCH 31: (CHINA OUT) Stephen Maguire (L) of Scotland and Shaun Murphy of England display their diplomas in the award ceremony of the 2008 World Snooker China Open on March 31, 2008 in Beijing, China. Stephen Maguire won the champion. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)
-Credit:China Photos/Getty Images


Insistent Shaun Murphy has told eternal rival Stephen Maguire he is no whistleblower 20 years on from chalk-gate – and says modern day technology would clear his name.

The 2005 snooker world champion has long protested his innocence in response to the Scot's claim The Magician asked referee Johan Oomen to dock him a frame for forgetting his chalk. Murphy has found himself having to clear his name all over again after Maguire itched at the old wound ahead of their world championship last 16 rematch at The Crucible on Friday.

And Murphy believes Maguire would change his tune if modern video and sound technology was in place back in the day. But the potter turned pundit couldn't resist a pop in the direction of Maguire as he teased he never made the same mistake again. An animated Murphy hit back: “People still think that I had him docked a frame for forgetting his chalk, which isn’t the case.

"The tournament director docked him a frame for forgetting his chalk, because he forced the match to start late. It wasn’t the referee, it wasn’t me, it wasn’t anyone else. People saw me and the referee talking and assumed I had him docked a frame. I perhaps should have sat in my chair and said nothing, I was guilty of talking to the referee. It looked as if I said A, B and C and that led to X, Y and Z, but it’s not the case.

“There are more cameras and microphones around so it would have been much clearer what I actually did say and we wouldn’t have had this non-issue for 20 years. It’s always brought up, he hasn’t forgotten his chalk since and he will probably have it when we play as well.

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