3-Cushion
CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL - The world federation of billiard players, the UMB, maintains its decision that Jean Paul de Bruijn is not allowed to participate in the Grand Prix three cushion that starts today, Monday, in Capelle aan den IJssel. The Dutch player is still suspended until October 4, 2020, because of his (recently broken) contract with the Korean billiards organization PBA, which is not recognized by the UMB. The UMB decided that no ranking points for all other players would be handed out if the suspended player De Bruijn would participate in the Grand Prix.
The KNBB, Dutch billiard federation, has resigned itself to that decision. Jean Paul de Bruijn will therefore not play in Capelle. ''We resign ourselves to the decision, that also applies to Jean Paul de Bruijn'', reacted Hans de Bruin of the Section three-cushion billiards of the KNBB this morning. The UMB held a meeting with the whole board about the case this morning.
Mr. Farouk Barki, the president: ''We adhere to the strict rules regarding players returning from the PBA. That goes for Robinson Morales, for Tonny Carlsen, for all others, and also for Jean Paul de Bruijn. They have to stick to their suspension and until then they are not allowed to participate in tournaments linked to the UMB. They can play, when the KNBB admits them, but then we skip the ranking points. There is no chance at all that we make an exception for any player.''
Hans de Bruin said after the UMB's email about the decision of the final exclusion: ''It has never been our intention to sacrifice innocent billiard players to achieve our goal.'' The KNBB appealed in vain to the UMB before the Grand Prix to stop the suspension of De Bruijn a month earlier, said De Bruin.
The main tournament of the Grand Prix, in which De Bruijn was already classified, remains intact. In the place of the 'player from Zeeland' comes a best loser. Furthermore, there are no changes in the groups.