The darts world is buzzing with major news this week! Dom Taylor has been handed a six-month ban for an anti-doping violation, leading to the loss of his prize money and Tour Card. Meanwhile, ITV is shaking up its darts coverage with a brand-new presenter team featuring Wayne Mardle and Glen Durrant. Fallon Sherrock continued her dominance by winning the Modus Super Series Ladies Week, and significant rule changes are coming to the European Tour. Other headlines include Viaplay securing long-term PDC rights in the Netherlands and notable winners at WDF events in Las Vegas and Bremen.
Dom Taylor Handed Six-Month Ban for Anti-Doping Violation
In a significant development, Dom Taylor, known as “The Tower,” has been suspended for six months by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA). The decision followed a hearing on January 7th, where Taylor admitted to violating anti-doping regulations. Despite testing positive during the PDC World Championship on December 11th, the committee was convinced that the prohibited substances were taken outside of competition.
This ruling, governed by the 2021 UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) rules, is a consequence of it being Taylor’s second anti-doping offense. Rule 10.9 of the UKAD Anti-Doping Rules 2021 specifies a six-month ban for a second violation occurring out-of-competition.
As a result of this ban, Taylor faces severe consequences:
- He forfeits the £25,000 prize money earned at the World Championship.
- He has dropped out of the PDC Top 64 world rankings.
- This drop means he has lost his coveted Tour Card.
- He has also been ordered to pay the procedural costs.
ITV Darts Coverage Undergoes Major Overhaul
A new three-year deal between the PDC and broadcaster ITV has led to substantial changes in darts broadcasting. ITV will now exclusively cover major tournaments like the European Championship, UK Open, and World Series events. Interestingly, the PDC will self-produce all these events.
The new presenting and commentary team features a mix of familiar and fresh faces:
- Presenters: Gabbie Partington (known for golf and darts coverage on TalkSport) and Pete Graves (experienced in rugby and football for Sky).
- Pundits: Darts legends Wayne Mardle, Glen Durrant, and Mark Webster, who are regulars on Sky’s major event coverage. Chris Mason is the only pundit retained from the previous ITV team.
- Commentators: Mark Wilson and Dan Dawson (familiar from the European Tour), alongside radio personality Ian Danter.
However, the changes haven’t been without controversy. Former darts professional Alan Warriner-Little expressed his displeasure, stating he wasn’t even informed of his departure from ITV after 20 years of service.
Fallon Sherrock Dominates Modus Super Series Ladies Week
“The Queen of the Palace,” Fallon Sherrock, claimed victory in another Modus Super Series Ladies Week. In a thrilling final, she narrowly defeated “The Lancashire Rose,” Lisa Ashton, in a decider, achieving an 85 average. Ashton herself had a match dart on the bullseye but couldn’t convert it.
Semi-Final Results:
- Fallon Sherrock 4-2 Gemma Hayter (91.03 – 86.93 average)
- Lisa Ashton 4-2 Priscilla Steenbergen (74.82 – 69.48 average)
Final Result:
- Fallon Sherrock 4-3 Lisa Ashton (85.82 – 86.33 average)
Gemma Hayter and Priscilla Steenbergen reached the semi-finals, while Kirsi Viinikainen and Rhian O’Sullivan exited in the group stage of the final evening. Lorraine Winstanley, Vicky Pruim, and Sophie McKinlay did not make it to the final day.
PDC European Tour Seeding Rule Adjustment
The PDC has announced a change to the European Tour seeding rules for the upcoming season. Originally, first-round seeding was based on the Main Order of Merit, meaning higher-ranked players would be drawn against unranked players.
The revised rule now states:
- The world’s top 16 players remain seeded for Round 2.
- However, for Round 1, seeding will now be based on the Pro Tour Order of Merit.
This adjustment favors players who perform well on the Pro Tour circuit and also aligns with the controversial reserve rule from last year, aiming for a fairer distribution of high-performing players in the early stages. The overall composition of the participant field for 2026 remains unchanged from the previous year.
Viaplay Extends PDC Rights in the Netherlands Until 2033
Darts fans in the Netherlands will continue to rely on Viaplay for their PDC coverage. The streaming service has extended its agreement to be the exclusive rights holder for all major PDC tournaments, including the PDC World Championship, until the end of 2033. This means Dutch fans will need a paid subscription to watch their favorite darts action for the foreseeable future, continuing a partnership that began in 2021.
WDF Tournament Highlights: Las Vegas Open & Classic
The World Darts Federation (WDF) hosted two significant ranking tournaments in Las Vegas, offering valuable world ranking points and a spot at the 2026 WDF World Championship for the Open winners.
Las Vegas Open (WDF Gold Event):
- Men’s Champion: Jason Brandon secured the title on home soil, defeating Alex Spellman with a dominant 6-0 whitewash in the final. Brandon, a former Lakeside semi-finalist, overcame several strong opponents on his way to victory.
- Women’s Champion: Deta Hedman successfully defended her title, beating Cali West 5-2 in the final. “The Caribbean Queen” showed impressive form throughout the tournament, including an 87 average against Maria Carli in the semi-final, marking her first win as a reigning World Champion.
Las Vegas Classic (WDF Silver Event):
- Men’s Champion: Chris Lim, son of darts legend Paul Lim, took the title, defeating the previous day’s winner, Jason Brandon, 5-2 in the final.
- Women’s Champion: Deta Hedman completed a double victory, winning the Classic event by beating Wendy Reinstadtler 5-2 in the final. She had a tougher path in the semi-final, battling through a decider against Ami Komiyama.
Additional Darts News
- UK Open Amateur Qualifier: The first PDC in the Community Qualifier for the UK Open saw Jack Todd secure his spot in the “FA Cup of Darts” by defeating Andrew McGuffie 6-4 in Fleetwood.
- Weserpark Darts Cup in Bremen: Tour Card holder Ricardo Pietreczko won the men’s event, while Ina Thöle claimed the women’s title.
- Yorick Hofkens Joins Modus: Promising player Yorick Hofkens has signed a contract with Modus, indicating a step forward in his professional career.
- English Darts Organisation (EDO) Team: The EDO announced its team for the British Internationals, scheduled for April 17-19 in Wales.
- Youth Tournament in Bremen: Erik Kupicz emerged victorious in the DDV regional youth tournament, defeating Mads Osderesch.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
