PDC darts stars have been warned about sneaking booze into tournament venues.
Players have been sent a sternly worded statement after competitors were caught concealing alcohol in water bottles at Players Championship events, otherwise known as floor tournaments, which are played without crowds. It has become such an issue that players face heavy fines and even suspension if they repeatedly flaunt the rules.
The warning has been sent to members of the players’ union, the Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA) after the PDC raised concerns. The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA), the sport’s governing body, has also been involved in the talks.
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The message sent to players read: “There has been an increase in the number of instances where players have been found to have brought alcohol into venues at floor events. This has been distinguished in water bottles and other containers.
“This is expressly forbidden and players have previously been notified that this is a breach of the Tournament Rules. The PDC have discussed this with the DRA and the PDPA and it has been decided that to deter such actions more robust sanctions are needed for players who are caught bringing alcohol into venues at events. The new approach is to issue incremental fines for such breaches.”
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The first breach will be punished with a £250 fine, which will be doubled for a second offence. A third breach will see players fined £1,000. A fourth transgression will result in the player being referred to the DRA Disciplinary Committee with an “expectation of suspension”. However, the counting of the breaches will be reset at the start of a new season.
Fans have seen the funny side, with one joking on X: “The PDC have had to send a warning email out because the players are sneaking alcohol into pro tour events. What a f****** sport.”
Another quipped: “The reset at the end of the season is the best bit [laughing face emoji].” A third added: “Remember when people tried to tell us players don’t drink?”