World snooker champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has placed doubt on his future in the sport after refusing to sign a contract binding players to a World Tour.

O’Sullivan won his fourth world title last month at the Crucible in Sheffield, after which he said he would “have four, five, six months off and assess the situation”.

The Englishman is considered the biggest draw in the sport but has been critical of the demands of the contract of Barry Hearn’s World Snooker Organisation.

And in a statement released by his management company, Grove Leisure, O’Sullivan said he was not ready to commit to its demands.

“I have decided not to enter any tournaments for the time being, in-cluding this year’s Premier League and forthcoming WPBSA ranking events,” O’Sullivan said.

“I have not signed the player’s contract as I feel the contract is too onerous and am in a stage of my career where I don’t wish to make this commitment.”

It means O’Sullivan will miss one early trip to China, for the Wuxi Classic, as well as the subsequent Australian Goldfields Open.

The next competition entry deadline arrives next month, with September’s Shanghai Masters the next ranking event after ­Australia.

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