A SNOOKER world champion has been barred from playing in a social club's league match - because she is a woman.

Despite holding the title of Ladies' World Junior Champion and racking up a host of titles in the past three months, Suzie Opacic, a geography student at Bournemouth University, has been told she will not be welcome with her Southampton-based Pot Black social club team when they visit Netley Central.

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Because of club rules, women are banned from Netley Central which means Suzie's team will have to do without her for the Division Two Southampton Social Club league clash in February.

Out of the 15 clubs in the division, Netley is the only one which enforces a no-women rule. It is the first time Suzie has encountered the ban since she began playing in September.

Suzie, 18, said: "I'm really disappointed that I won't be able to play. They should respect me as a player. At the end of the day I have to respect their rules even if I don't agree with them. Hopefully they'll rethink their rules in the future."

A spokesman for Netley Central confirmed that Suzie would not be able to play. Club secretary, Ray Moody, said: "Lots of clubs have this rule. It will probably come up at the next AGM and the members will decide."

Pot Black team captain Steve Boterhoek, 28, who signed the 18-year-old, said: "In this day and age this sort of thing shouldn't happen. The objective of the league is to promote friendly competition between clubs.

"This could significantly affect our chances given a player of Suzie's class."

Snooker has always been a passion for Suzie, who has been playing since the age of nine.