Silvino Francisco, a South African snooker player who was prominent in the 1980s and was later jailed for three years for smuggling cannabis, has passed away aged 78

FORMER snooker star Silvino Francisco has died aged 78. The South African reached world No10 and won the British Open in 1985. He remains the only African player to have ever won a ranking event.

Former snooker star Silvino Francisco – who won the 1985 British Open – has died aged 78. ‘Silvino Francisco, a former world number ten and the only African player to win a ranking event, sadly passed away this month at the age of 78,