WORLD champion Ronnie O’Sullivan called a time-out on his snooker career in a dramatic move that casts doubt on whether he will ever play again.

The 36-year-old wrote to World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn to confirm what he told the veteran sports promoter in a telephone call last week: that his season is over before it has properly begun.

A short statement from the organisation announced: ‘‘World Snooker has been informed that Ronnie O’Sullivan does not intend to compete on the World Snooker tour for the remainder of the 2012/13 season.’’ The precise reasons were not disclosed, although it is known O’Sullivan has battled depression and recently suffered badly with glandular fever. His manager, Django Fung, stressed there were a raft of causes for O’Sullivan deciding to step away from the sport.

O’Sullivan has played just one match in competition since landing his fourth world title at the Crucible on May 7, losing to the then world number 76 Simon Bedford at a minor tournament staged in Gloucester at the start of September.

That may prove to be the last tour match the Chigwell maverick ever plays, but Hearn hopes not.

‘‘It’s difficult to say. Ricky Hatton has come back after three years in the wilderness so you can never tell,’’ Hearn said.

‘‘I’ve known Ronnie since he was 12 and I’d like to see him back to the bubbly character he used to be.

‘‘He needs total time away from the game. It’s a good decision he’s made.

‘‘He’s got a lot of issues to deal with and he’s not particularly well. He wants to take a complete break and see how he feels.

‘‘I’m very relaxed about it.

He’s got a lot on his mind, and of course he’s retired more times than Sinatra.

‘‘It’s a sensible, mature call to say, ’I can’t just play at it’.

It just piles up on you, and he probably feels it’s a release.

‘‘The game is in a strong place at the minute. We’ve had a strong start to the season and there’s a new number one in Judd Trump.’’