Snooker player Kurt Maflin stuck his middle finger up at the white ball in frustration during his first round World championship victory last night.
Maflin was looking for a maximum break in the 16th frame of his match with David Gilbert and completely lost his head at the positioning of the balls as he looked to take his next shot.
He promptly flipped the bird at the table in what was a quite hilarious and unusual scene for viewers watching on Eurosport, where commentator Dominic Dale offered an apology.
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Maflin was told by referee Tatiana Woollaston that he would lose the next frame if he repeated his antics. "I have to warn you - the next one, you lose the frame," the official could be heard saying quite clearly due to no fans being in attendance.
Explaining the obscene gesture, Maflin said, as per The Guardian: "I meant nothing by it - it was purely aggression being taken out on the cue ball. I felt like I'd worked really hard to get into that position... and when the white hit the yellow, it was just one of those reactions.
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"She [Woollaston] was whispering and I thought she was telling me to tuck my shirt in, but she told me she had to warn me for the gesture. I wasn't quite with it at that stage."
World Snooker have stated Maflin would not be punished for displaying a middle finger live on TV and we're not sure whether this one of a kind moment will happen again anytime.
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