Graeme Dott: Former world snooker champion suspended over historical child sexual abuse, is he married and whether he has children

The 47-year-old Scottish player, who won the World Championship in 2006, faces two charges related to alleged incidents in the 1990s and 2000s. Court documents allege that Dott assaulted a girl between 1993 and 1996 in the Glasgow area, including instructing her to remove clothing and exposing himself. A second charge claims he entered a shower naked while a boy was bathing and sexually assaulted him between 2006 and 2010.

Dott has been suspended by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) ahead of a High Court hearing in Scotland. A WPBSA spokesperson told the paper: “Graeme Dott has been suspended by the WPBSA due to a case which is scheduled to be heard before the High Court in Scotland. Whilst court proceedings are ongoing, it would be inappropriate for the WPBSA to make any further comment.”

The suspension rules Dott out of the upcoming World Championship, which begins on April 19 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. This marks the first time since 1994 that he will not compete in the tournament.

Graeme Dott is one of snooker’s most prominent Scottish players, known for his tenacity and long career at the sport’s highest level. He turned professional in 1994 and reached his first World Championship final in 2004, losing to Ronnie O’Sullivan. Two years later, he claimed the title in a dramatic late-night final against Peter Ebdon, finishing after midnight and earning £200,000.

Dott, a Rangers FC supporter, reached two more world finals (2004 and 2010) but never secured a second title. In recent years, he hinted at a potential switch to eight-ball pool, participating in exhibition events in China. Last year, he told reporters: *“I’m not taking it deadly serious at the moment, it’s a bit of fun, but if I got better at it then it’s something I could definitely do.”

Who is Graeme Dott?

Graeme Dott is a Scottish professional snooker player and coach. Born on May 12, 1977, in Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, he turned professional in 1994 and steadily climbed the ranks to become one of snooker's notable figures.

In 2006 World Snooker Championship, Dott won the World Championship, defeating Peter Ebdon 18–14 in a marathon final that concluded after midnight. This victory marked his first ranking title.

In the 2004 and 2010 World Championship finals, he was crowned the runner-up in both editions, losing to Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2004 and Neil Robertson in 2010.

In the 2007 China Open, Dott secured his second ranking title by defeating Jamie Cope 9–5, briefly attaining the provisional world number one ranking. ​Dott is also earned the nickname ‘The Pocket Dynamo’ for his tenacity and methodical approach to the game.

Dott has been open about his battles with clinical depression, particularly following personal tragedies, including the death of his mentor and father-in-law, Alex Lambie, in 2006. He detailed these challenges in his 2011 autobiography, "Frame of Mind: The Autobiography of the World Snooker Champion."

The autobiography says he developed a strong relationship with Alex Lambie, a snooker club owner from Larkhall in Lanarkshire, who mentored Dott from the age of 12 and went on to manage his professional career. Dott has described Lambie as a "second father" to him.

In 1997, Dott began a relationship with Lambie's 16-year-old daughter Elaine. The couple married in 2003 and had their first child, a son named Lewis, in 2004. Their second child, Lucy, was born in 2008.