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“I’m excited by it, I think the event is going to be really, really big. I think it’s going to be class for us,” said Allen of the upcoming Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker at Boulevard City.
“I think we’re going to be really well looked after. There is going to be a lot of razzmatazz, probably a little bit different to what you’re used to seeing in snooker and it’s an exciting time to try new things.
“If Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region want to throw big money at the sport I’m all for it.
“There are a lot of countries around the world that do strange things in their decision making on how they run their countries and we still go and participate in sports round there and even closer to home there’s probably a lot of things that people wouldn’t support but they still go and take their wage and we’re no different.
“What I would say is, if you were offered the opportunity would you say yes or would you say no, and I’m pretty sure that everyone would say yes.
“I’m a snooker player, I’m not a politician. Me turning round and saying ‘I’m not going to play in Saudi’ is not going to change what they do or don’t do in their country.”
Allen will be joined in the tournament by world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan, reigning world champion Luca Brecel, Judd Trump, Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby, Ali Carter and Mark Williams, plus Saudi Arabia’s Omar Alajani and Qatar’s Ali Alobaidli.
Every match will be played with a new 20-point golden ball, known as the Riyadh Season Ball, which will give players the chance to make a unique break of 167.
