Snooker: Doyle defeated but fights on

Ian Doyle, who represents 16 of the world's top players, has refused to sanction a snooker breakaway despite a defeat at the sport's annual general meeting in London yesterday.

Doyle insisted a split was "the last resort" though he will continue to fight for the dismissal of Rex Williams, the victorious chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.

Doyle dismissed Williams's plea for "harmony and unity" saying: "Rex Williams is a man who makes promises but who doesn't keep them. I did support him when he was elected to office but I don't support him now and will not support him in the future."

Doyle had hoped to swing the re-election of anti-Williams board members, vice chairman, Mark Wildman and Jim Chambers. Instead, the duo narrowly lost seats on the board they only took up last March after the previous coup masterminded by Doyle.

Wildman was denied 25 votes to 23 while Williams had to use his casting vote to prevent West Midland-based professional and businessman Chambers from retaining his seat.

There was uproar at the meeting at the Cafe Royal, attended by the game's president, Lord Archer, when Williams used his chairman's authority and refused to allow Wildman and Chambers to vote for themselves.

Both, though had been allowed to vote for the overwhelmingly successful re-election of Thai businessman Sindhu Pulsirivong.

"Every player who has voted against Mark and Jimmy should hang their heads in shame," Doyle said.