Michael White, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing bodily harm and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday.
A top snooker player has been jailed and dropped from the world rankings for assaulting his partner.
Michael White, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of actual bodily harm in December 2022 and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday.
White, from Neath, Glamorgan, Wales, became the youngest player to score 100 points in a competition at age nine and became World Amateur Champion at age 14.
Following the sentence, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) confirmed it had expelled him from its membership and removed him from its world rankings.
“We do not tolerate this type of behaviour from our members,” the WPBSA said in a statement, adding that it had “taken immediate steps to remove Michael White from WPBSA membership.”
The statement continued: “The WPBSA is monitoring the case and convened an emergency board meeting following the ruling.
“A resolution has been passed to suspend Michael White’s WPBSA membership with immediate effect.
“Consequently, Michael White is removed from the world ranking list and the World Snooker Tour. Michael White has the right to appeal against the Committee’s decision within 21 days of this decision.”
White was given consecutive sentences of 17 and 19 months for the two assault counts and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £190. The third assault charge remains on his record.
He won his first world ranking event at the 2015 Indian Open and his highest ranking was 15th in 2016.
White, nicknamed “Lightning” for his fast playing style, was ranked 60th at the time of the exclusion, according to Snooker.Org.