Chinese snooker professionals rush for home from epidemic hit UK
- Ding Junhui has five journeys cancelled before touching down in northern China city Shenyang with teammate Tian Pengfei
- Another 10 players arrive in Shanghai with help from State Sports General Administration
Twelve Chinese professional snooker players, headed by top player Ding Junhui, were feeling towards home from epidermic hit England over the weekend to avoid coronavirus infection.
Reports in the mainland said Ding had arrived Shenyang with teammate Tian Pengfei while 10 other players came home through Shanghai Pudong Airport.
According to Beij ing Youth Daily, Ding had five previous bookings cancelled before finally making it through transit via Netherlands capital Amsterdam, which could only get him to the north China city. The two players did not eat anything during the entire flight to minimise the possibility of becoming infected. Both Ding and Tian are now under 14-day isolation in a hotel in Shenyang in accordance to the latest quarantine control in China.
The same quarantine rule applies to the 10 players coming through Shanghai with the help of the State General Sports Administration that provided air tickets, according to Sina Sports. These 10 players including Xiao Guodong, Li Hang and Yuan Sijun also endured great difficulty in making their home journey until the authorities lent them their support.
The Chinese players were waiting for the final word on the forthcoming World Championship in Sheffield before making their decision. On March 20, world snooker tour chairman Barry Hearn announced that the tournament, scheduled for April 18 to May 4, had been postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But already air tickets had become very difficult to come by as many Chinese hurried to get home from Europe.