Negotiations between the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association and 110 Sport, the event and management company, to promote the world ranking circuit have broken down in acrimony after three months of discussions.

WPBSA player-members have received a letter from Jason Ferguson, its chairman, stating that "110's proposals were not what they first seemed".

John Davison, representing 110 and its backers, the city finance house Warburg Pincus, described Ferguson's letter as "inaccurate" and promised a fully documented rebuttal within the next fortnight.

Snooker's governing body admitted in January that it was heading for a £2m loss by its June 30 year-end and would be insolvent by Christmas unless there was "a change of current executive strategy".

This parlous position, foreshadowing a reduction in world ranking events from this season's nine to six, prompted an approach to 110.

For their part 110 envisaged a joint venture with new investment from Warburg and WPBSA contributing its remaining television and sponsorship contracts.

WPBSA's need for outside investment will soon become even more acute since next season is the last in which the government will permit tobacco sponsorship, except for the Embassy World Championship which has a special exemption until 2006.

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