Darts star thrown out of World Championship after failing medicine take a look at

Dom Taylor has been thrown out of the World Darts Championship after failing a drugs test.

Taylor beat Oskar Lukasiak 3-0 last Sunday and was due to face Jonny Clayton in the second round of the tournament at Alexandra Palace.

But the Bristol-born 27-year-old has been suspended from all competitions governed by the Darts Regulation Authority with immediate effect, allowing Clayton a bye into the third round.

‘In line with its ongoing anti-doping procedures the PDC and DRA are conducting drug testing during the 2025/26 Paddy Power World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace,’ a statement by the Professional Darts Corporation reads.

‘On 19 December, the DRA was notified of an adverse analytical finding in respect of the player Dom Taylor resulting from a test conducted on 14 December.

‘As a result of this and in line with relevant DRA processes, Dom Taylor has been suspended from participating in any DRA regulated events with immediate effect.

Dom Taylor has been thrown out of the World Darts Championship after failing a drugs test

Taylor was due to face  Jonny Clayton in the next round but has been suspended immediately

‘This matter will now be the subject of a disciplinary process in line with the relevant DRA Anti-Doping Rules.

‘The DRA will not be making any further comment pending the outcome of this confidential process.’

It comes just days after Taylor opened up about a failed drugs test which seen him withdraw from the 2024 Players Championship.

‘The Tower’ returned a positive sample for a banned substance on the eve of the tournament last year and initially was handed a two-year suspension. 

However, the ban was reduced to three months when the substance was found not to be performance enhancing, before being cut to just one month after he agreed to take a UK Anti Doping-approved three-month treatment programme.

Speaking after defeating Lukasiak last Sunday, Taylor was asked about how hard it was to recover from the ban.

‘Massively, biggest let down of my life,’ he said. ‘But I’ve rebounded back, and here we are.

‘I wasn’t speaking to anyone, keeping myself to myself and just practising. If I didn’t believe I was going to walk home with a million pounds, I wouldn’t be here.’