Jordan Brown has admitted he broke down in tears after reading Mark Allen's emotional statement about his struggles with mental health. Allen, who had not played since his World Championship semi-final loss to Wu Yize in early May, lost 4-2 to close friend Brown in the first round of the Northern Ireland Open on Monday.
Following the match, Allen gave an emotional interview with TNT Sports in which he said he was "really overwhelmed" and suggested his career could be over. He then revealed in a statement posted on social media on Wednesday that he spent ten weeks in a mental health clinic before discharging himself to play at Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
Brown's Emotional Response
Brown said: "I was in tears whenever I read it (Allen's statement), I think he put it beautifully. Obviously there's loads of people concerned out there, but it's better for him to come out and say what he's been going through."
"It's so important, mental health is such a big thing these days. It's so important to reach out. We're grown men, but if Mark's suffering, anybody can suffer," Brown added.
Support from the Snooker Community
Brown continued: "It's a very hard thing that he's going through but I've no doubt that he'll come out the other side because everybody loves him and he's going to have the support. None more so than me, his friends and his family. He'll be back I'm sure."
Jason Ferguson, the long-time chairman of the sport's governing body, the WPBSA, also offered his full support to Allen.
WPBSA Chairman's Perspective
Ferguson said: "I do think that snooker is extremely challenging mentally. People would say I'm biased saying this, but I think it's the most difficult sport in the world."
"It's a one-on-one sport and nobody can stop you thinking about things when you're sat in that chair. Not only does your technical skill have to be at an optimal level at all times, but your mental strength has got to be the same," he added.
Ferguson also highlighted the demands of the sport: "You spend so much time away from home and you can go from the high of being in that arena in front of a live audience and television, to the next day sitting in your house on your own."
He concluded: "Mark's statement was very impressive and fair play to him for getting it out in public because people are worried about him. Mark is a very robust player, he's one of the toughest players the sport has ever seen, and he's a lovely lad as well. Everybody here is fully behind him."
