The opening day of the International Championship saw some high quality action but the main talking point came from the man who didn’t even pick up a cue.

Ronnie O’Sullivan. Picture by Monique Limbos

Ronnie O’Sullivan has been the talk of the snooker world yet again during the opening day of the major ranking event in China – and just like the English Open it’s all because of his shoes.

During the English Open, O’Sullivan was forced to wear trainers due to a sprained ankle injury he sustained earlier this month. And it looks like O’Sullivan is still struggling to play with shoes on.

Today he tweeted he was facing disqualification from the tournament over his footwear.

He tweeted: “I’m now being told unless I can convince the tournament director I can’t walk in a shoe I’m going to be disqualified from the event in China.”

But World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn said on Twitter talk of O’Sullivan’s possible disqualification was “total nonsense” and he was happy for O’Sullivan to wear trainers – providing he can prove he is in pain wearing normal shoes.

O’Sullivan is due to play his International Championship first round encounter against China’s Yan Bingtao on Monday.