Graeme Dott expelled from Hall of Fame after child abuse conviction
Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been removed from the sport’s Hall of Fame and permanently stripped of his WPBSA membership following his conviction for sexually abusing two children, reports BritPanorama.
The WPBSA acted with immediate effect after an emergency board meeting, with officials stating that the board had “unanimously agreed” to revoke Dott’s membership and requested his removal from the Hall of Fame. The action was confirmed earlier this week.
Dott, who won the World Championship at the Crucible in 2006, is now permanently barred from participating in tournaments governed by the WPBSA. He becomes the first individual to be expelled since the Hall of Fame was established in 2011 to honour those who have made significant contributions to the sport.
Convicted at the High Court in Glasgow, Dott faced a five-day trial where jurors returned majority guilty verdicts on two charges of lewd, indecent, and libidinous behaviour involving a girl and boy of primary school age. The offences against the girl occurred between 1993 and 1996, while those involving the boy took place between 2006 and 2010.
The former champion denied the allegations, claiming they were “nonsense” and “lies.” Following the verdict, he was remanded in custody, with sentencing deferred to September 29 at the High Court in Edinburgh, allowing time for a criminal justice social work report. Dott had been suspended from all professional activities since early April 2025 after the charges were filed.
His removal ends any official affiliations stemming from a career that had once secured his place among snooker’s elite. Under WPBSA rules, Dott has 21 days to appeal this decision. While his achievements will remain in snooker’s competitive records, he will no longer receive any recognition from the Hall of Fame or the governing body.
It’s a stark reminder of how the legacies of athletes are now interwoven with their conduct off the table, reshaping perceptions and legacies in real time, as the sport grapples with accountability and its past.
