RONNIE: I'M NO BULLY

O'Sullivan reacts angrily to social-media flak after his latest rumpus with ref

- SHANE MacDERMOTT

RONNIE O'SULLIVAN dismissed "bullying" claims after he crashed out of this year's World Championship.

It was uncomfortable viewing as the Rocket, 48, twice clashed with referee Desislava Bozhilova (below) during his shock 13-10 quarter-final defeat by Stuart Bingham at the Crucible.

The seven-time champion was branded a bully on social media after his latest ref row.

He disagreed with the Bulgarian official's spotting of the black ball and refused to pot a simple red, an act which was hailed by former world champion Neil Robertson as "the greatest sportsmanship I've ever seen".

But the rattled Rocket told her to "chill" as he grew increasingly irritable in the final session.

Bozhilova asked O'Sullivan to take his shot as he waited in his seat for spectators, who were returning to the arena in his eyeline, to sit down.

BBC pundit Ken Doherty (right), the 1997 Crucible champion, said he was "well within his rights" to wait.