Hossein Vafaei says there's 'no way' he'd want to come back to the Crucible after complaining it was like 'practicing in a garage'.
This year marks the 48th consecutive year the iconic Sheffield venue has hosted the World Snooker Championships, with the 2024 edition getting underway on Saturday, April 20.
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And 29-year-old Iranian player Vafaei - who reached the second round of last year's tournament - was knocked out after losing 10-5 to world no.2 Judd Trump on Sunday.
It wasn't his loss that has made headlines, though, but his comments on the Crucible.
He said: “History is very important but when nobody invests any money in this historical venue. Let’s forget the history.
“You walk everywhere around the Crucible and it smells really bad. As a player I’m honest, it’s just really bad. Everything’s so bad.
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“You go to other venues in other countries and you see how nice they treat you.
“How nice everything is. Everything is shiny. But here it’s completely different.
“If you ask me do I want to come back here again, I’ll tell you no way.
“The practice room, do you see anything special?
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“I feel like I’m practicing in a garage. That’s not good. I’m coming from a different country to see that? It’s not good. I am sorry I have to tell the truth.”
Despite all the tradition and legacy the 980-seater Crucible theatre holds, there is an expectation for the tournament to move to China or Saudi Arabia where more money on the table.
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Unfortunately for Vafaei, though, the Crucible's current deal with the World Snooker Championships lasts until 2027, when it will celebrate its 50th anniversary of hosting the event.
He's not the only one that will be looking forward to the shift in venue, though.
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English snooker star and seven-time world champion O'Sullivan recently remarked: "I don’t actually like The Crucible to be honest. I’d much rather it go anywhere than The Crucible.
“I know it’s a great venue but I don’t like playing there for 17 days. For me if it goes anywhere but the Crucible it would be brilliant.”
Snooker legend Jimmy White isn't so sure, though.
“I’ll be done by then [2027] so I’d like it to stay at the Crucible,” White said. “Because of the connection that city has done for snooker, and what snooker has done for that city.
“When it’s a one-table situation. When it’s a two-table situation, it’s a nightmare, as you know yourself. You can be just about to pot a very difficult ball and the crowd on the other table, you have to get used to that.
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“But things improve and change. If the facilities are better and these young guys will go where the money is. Sport improves. But I’d like to see it stay there.”
Darts legend Gerwyn Price also caused a stir in December when he demanded that future world darts tournaments take place away from Alexandra Palace.