World Snooker Championship referee Malgorzata Kanieska balances her role officiating at the Crucible with a full-time career in aerospace. The Warsaw-born official made her debut at the iconic Sheffield venue during the 2025 tournament, but will not be among the officials for the 2026 event starting this weekend.
Kanieska first became involved in snooker in 2010 and now works for Polish airlines, where she optimises systems to manage flight networks. She told Framed: The Snooker Podcast last year: 'When I did my first professional event I was studying. Now I'm just working full-time and I take days off to go to tournaments.'
Her airport role involves coordinating logistics to avoid delays and over-bookings. 'I can cancel flights,' she added. 'When there is industrial action, or airports can be closed, or aircrafts can be damaged, I have the power to cancel flights - luckily I do not contact passengers so that makes it easier.'
Despite the demanding dual career, Kanieska remains committed to snooker. 'I use all my days off for the tournament. As much as I like snooker, it's not a holiday,' she said. She plans to observe this year's championship from the wings and hopes to return to officiating at the Crucible in future.
