Post a reply

Re: Michaela Tabb v World Snooker

Postby Pink Ball

I find all this a bit ironic to be quite honest. I always thought that the promotion of Tabb was an example of positive sexism because I thought she was high up the ranks on account of the novelty of not having a cockerel. I actually think that Ivy Zhu is a better referee. Tabb was good, but gaffe prone.

Tabb is a very nice person though, brilliant with the fans, most personable. She was brilliant at promoting the game.

Also brilliant to look at, but I digress.

Re: Michaela Tabb v World Snooker

Postby TheSaviour

I don´t know about Michaela Tabb but Reanne Evans always seems to be amongs the first ones who loses it lol. Day in, day out.

Re: Michaela Tabb v World Snooker

Postby SnookerFan

Pink Ball wrote:I find all this a bit ironic to be quite honest. I always thought that the promotion of Tabb was an example of positive sexism because I thought she was high up the ranks on account of the novelty of not having a cockerel. I actually think that Ivy Zhu is a better referee. Tabb was good, but gaffe prone.

Tabb is a very nice person though, brilliant with the fans, most personable. She was brilliant at promoting the game.

Also brilliant to look at, but I digress.


Now you mention it, when was the last time you saw Ivy Zhu referee a match?

Re: Michaela Tabb v World Snooker

Postby Dan-cat

Well that was short and sweet! It's all over, they reached a settlement.From Inside Snooker:


A WORLD SNOOKER statement so short that it could have been a tweet has signalled the end of the employment tribunal brought by the referee Michaela Tabb (using her married name McInnes) against the governing body.

“Michaela McInnes (Tabb) and World Snooker Limited have come to a confidential accommodation regarding the claims brought by Mrs McInnes in the Employment Tribunal,” said the statement.

This would appear to suggest some sort of financial settlement whereby World Snooker and Tabb do not have to escalate legal costs any further. Confidentiality agreements have no doubt been signed.

The action was launched over a discretionary bonus paid to referees which Tabb did not receive last year. It was paid to other contracted referees.

A disagreement in Bendigo led to Tabb coming home early from the Australian Open and she did not referee on the circuit again.

As the bonus was discretionary, it was up to World Snooker which referees deserved it and which did not. They felt Tabb, for reasons including not attending the annual awards dinner, did not.

Tabb’s view was that there was an element of discrimination based on her gender. She told the inquiry: “I firmly believe that I have been discriminated against on the basis of my sex. I believe the only logical reason I have been treated differently is because I was a woman.”

In fact, Tabb’s gender was the reason she was recruited to the circuit in the first place. The World Snooker regime of 2001 wanted to freshen up the game’s appeal and, recognising Tabb’s profile in the world of pool, fast-tracked her to become a TV snooker referee.

She took to this extremely well and developed into a very good referee. After financial cut-backs in 2003 saw her contract cancelled she was reinstated and went on to officiate in a number of prominent matches, including two World Championship finals.

Crucially, Tabb won the respect of the players. That she is a woman was always secondary to the fact that she could do the job. Backstage, she was a popular, friendly figure and snooker fans also took to her.

It is impossible to comment directly on the rights and wrongs of whether a bonus should or should not have been paid without knowing all the facts, although quite why referees should be forced to attend an awards dinner is not immediately clear.

To this neutral observer, the whole affair does seem very unfortunate. It is hard to see what has been gained by it but easy to see what has been lost: a popular member of the circuit.

Referees are by no means overpaid. Some of the officials who take charge of European Tour and qualifying matches receive very little. Therefore, although the bonus was “only” £1,000, this money, in the grander scheme of things, was not insignificant.

Tabb clearly felt hard done by that she had not received it, World Snooker clearly felt there were good reasons she should not. And from that impasse, we have today’s announcement.

What is unarguable is what Tabb has achieved in terms of making snooker a sport where female officials feel confident and respected. There were women referees before her but none as prominent.

Now, the circuit includes many female officials. The recent Paul Hunter Classic final was reffed by Tatiana Woollaston. Tabb was a trailblazer and it vindicated the original World Snooker decision to fast track her.

She still referees exhibitions. It is not clear from today’s brief statement whether there is a way back for her on the professional circuit. Many will hope so. Whatever the rights and wrongs of this case, she is missed.



http://www.inside-snooker.com/snooker/2 ... ettle-case

Re: Michaela Tabb v World Snooker

Postby Dan-cat

I met her once she was a delight, my friend and I wanted a picture with her, we were grinning ear to ear and she said 'you boys are easily pleased' :)

BRING BACK TABBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Michaela Tabb v World Snooker

Postby LC

It's a shame this has happened, although I don't watch snooker for the referee, michaela was good at her job and was good for snooker

Re: Michaela Tabb v World Snooker

Postby SnookerFan

Michaela Tabb & World Snooker reach 'confidential accommodation'

Former referee Michaela Tabb has reached an agreement with World Snooker after sex discrimination claims she made against the game's governing body.

Tabb, who pursued the case in her married name of McInnes, also claimed unfair dismissal and breach of contract after leaving the circuit in March.

World Snooker, which denied the claims, said the parties had "come to a confidential accommodation" after an employment tribunal in Bristol.

Tabb, 47, refereed two world finals.

Her representatives chose to make no further comment.

Having been fast-tracked by World Snooker - the commercial arm of governing body the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association - Tabb became the first woman to referee in a ranking tournament at the 2002 Welsh Open.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/34183748

Re: Michaela Tabb v World Snooker

Postby kolompar

Pink Ball wrote:I find all this a bit ironic to be quite honest. I always thought that the promotion of Tabb was an example of positive sexism because I thought she was high up the ranks on account of the novelty of not having a cockerel.

That's what I was thinking too. This stuff sounded ridiculous. Is she really that stupid?

Re: Michaela Tabb v World Snooker

Postby SnookerFan

Dan-cat wrote:I met her once she was a delight, my friend and I wanted a picture with her, we were grinning ear to ear and she said 'you boys are easily pleased' :)

BRING BACK TABBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


She is good to her fans, considering most of her fans are lecherous old pervs.

By most, I mean me.