Darts’ most jaw-dropping scandals as World Championship heats up… including hotel sexting shock and infamous ‘fart-gate’
SCORING 180 in darts is no mean feat – and hitting bullseye after downing 24 bottles of lager with someone breaking wind next to you is even harder.
But ‘fart-gate’ is just one of the many scandals to plague the Darts World Championships, which is now in full swing at London’s Alexandra Palace in London.
British sensation Luke Littler is a favourite to clinch the Sid Waddell Trophy after losing out to Luke Humphries in January’s gripping final.
While the crowds will be cheering on the two Lukes at Ally Pally, the prestigious contest has a chequered history.
From a contestant caught snogging a woman half his age to a shameless bickering incident, we take a look at darts’ most jaw-dropping scandals.
Fart-gate
Among the many dark arts darts players have tried over the years, farting is the one that goes unnoticed on TV.
But in 2018, Dutch player Wesley Harms found himself in the firing line of a “fragrant smell” that later became known as fart-gate.
He was up against two-time world champ Gary Anderson who ended up blowing him away 10-2, but was later accused of breaking wind on the oche.
In a post-match interview, Anderson hit back at the claims and suggested it was perhaps Harms who left the unpleasant smell.
He said: “It definitely came from table-side and it was eggs, rotten eggs, but not from me.
“Every time I walked past there was a waft of rotten eggs so that’s why I was thinking it was him.
“If the boy thinks I’ve farted he’s 100 per cent wrong. I swear on my children’s lives that it was not my fault.”
Furious Harms later let rip on Dutch TV and said: “It’ll take me two nights to lose this smell from my nose. I didn’t know things like this can also happen within the PDC.”
Sexting shock
Married darts legend Michael van Gerwen was caught trying to set up a hotel romp with a young mother, in 2015.
The Dutchman sent texts to Bradford local Stacey Owen and invited her to a hotel.
The sexting scandal came just eight months after Michael married his childhood sweetheart Daphne.
The former World Champion is said to have spotted Owen in the crowd at one of his matches.
In a statement responding to the reports, the star said: “I deeply regret my decision to exchange messages with Stacey Owen and my decision to meet her whilst I was already in the UK to play in the premier league.”
It continued: “I wish to make clear that there has never been any physical relationship between Ms Owen and myself.
“My primary concern is for my family and my wife Daphne, who I apologise to unreservedly. My hope is that people will now allow me to move forward and focus on my performances on the oche.”
Breathaliser fail
Andy “The Viking” Fordham revealed he drank so much beer while playing darts that he failed a breathaliser test three days later.
The big man reportedly downed 24 lagers a day and also swigged brandy from a hip flask as he played.
In 2007, he hit an all-time low when he collapsed backstage at the British Darts Organisation World Championships.
The Viking suffered a severe bout of pleurisy, a stroke and was shortlisted for a liver transplant.
After making a recovery and getting off the grog, he said: “I think everyone knows I nearly killed myself.
“Every time I played I felt like I had to have a shedload – I’m talking about a hip flask of brandy and more than a case of Holsten Pils. I’m not proud of it, but I was just good at drinking.
“I think I’ve finally proved to myself that you don’t need to drink to go out and play darts and the youngsters coming through now are showing that too.”
Hotel affair
Married darts icon Raymond van Barneveld stunned hotel guests by snogging a mystery woman half his age.
The five-time world champion, nicknamed Barney, looked besotted as they smooched hours after defeat in Premier League Darts in March 2019.
One guest at the four-star hotel in Devon said: “I was in the lobby with my girlfriend and we saw them come out of a lift with their bags to check out.
“I thought she might have been his daughter or something. Then I saw him kiss her. I was stunned.”
A video showed the 6ft 2in star bending down twice for kisses with a grin on his face.
At the time, Van Barneveld was married to ex-wife Silvia. A spokesperson later confirmed his marriage had been heading for divorce prior to the photos.
They said: “I can’t speak for Silvia but they have been working on getting divorced for a few months. They are wanting to do it at their own pace.
“They live their own lives but with a good understanding of each other.”
£21k fine for rowdy behaviour
In 2019, Gerwyn Price was fined £21,500 and suspended from darts for three months for childish behaviour.
The Welshman was warned by referee Russ Bray to calm down mid-way through his clash with Aussie Simon Whitlock.
The tightly contested match was dominated by bickering between the players and over-the-top theatrics, it was reported.
Later that evening, Price was booed after coming back from 9-12 down to beat Gary Anderson, which involved some pushing and shoving.
Sky Sports’ Wayne Mardle said at the time about Price’s actions: “It was brewing. It got beyond a darts match. It got ridiculous in the end.
“You shouldn’t be touching other players. You shouldn’t be backing in, pushing. Gerwyn Price pushes the buttons of other players – that is a fact.”
Cough up
Justin Pipe was dubbed “despicable” and “disgusting” after claims he coughed to wreck his rival’s 2017 World Championship.
The former world No 27 was seen on camera clearing his airways as qualifier Bernie Smith was throwing to seal a memorable first-round victory.
The incident seemed to put New Zealand hopeful Smith off his game, with the thrower missing a double ten in what became known as ‘cough-gate’.
A Sky Sports commentator insisted: “He cheated. Simple. He coughed in the hope Smith would miss”.
Pipe said: “I would never do something to put another player off and Bernie didn’t say anything to me on the night. As far as I’m aware there is no issue from his side and this has been blown out of proportion.”
Suspicious bets
Earlier this year, three darts players were suspended over suspicious betting on games.
The charges related to matches played by Jack Main, Prakash Jiwa and Andy Jenkins and the Modus Super Series.
The Darts Regulation Authority suspended the trio pending an investigation, with all three players able to appeal their punishment.
A DRA spokesperson said: “On June 9, 2023, the International Betting Integrity Association reported suspicious betting on the match between Jack Main and Lisa Ashton in the Modus Super Series Event.
“After an investigation, the Darts Regulation Authority Chairman Nigel Mawer has decided that Jack Main has a case to answer for breaches of the DRA Betting Rules.
“As a result of this decision, Main has been suspended from attending or competing in DRA sanctioned events until the conclusion of the hearing or hearings and the determination of this matter.
“Main has the right to appeal this suspension decision.
“The matter will be referred to the DRA Disciplinary Committee where a formal hearing will take place at a date to be confirmed.
“There is no suggestion that Lisa Ashton was involved in any way.”