The PDC World Championship fallout has claimed another headline – albeit, an expected one which landed hard on Tuesday night. Dom Taylor has been sidelined for six months after failing a drugs test during December’s showpiece at PDC World Championship.
Confirmation arrived via the Darts Regulation Authority, who stated that the 27-year-old admitted breaching anti-doping regulations. The matter was put before the DRA Disciplinary Committee earlier this month, with the panel concluding it was “satisfied that Taylor’s ingestion of both cocaine and cannabis occurred out of competition and was not following the commencement of the World Championship”.
While the timing softened the sporting impact, the sanction did not. This was Taylor’s second offence, having already served a one-month suspension late in 2024, and the punishment falls squarely within the framework laid out by UK Anti-Doping.
The Bristolian’s tournament itself had started brightly. A first-round win over Oskar Lukasiak booked him a meeting with Jonny Clayton, but the story broke before a dart was thrown in round two at Alexandra Palace. As a result, fifth seed Clayton was waved straight through to the third round without breaking sweat.
Taylor later addressed the situation publicly, describing himself as “sincerely sorry” for his actions. He also spoke openly about the toll of personal trauma on his mental health and said he would be “getting the help” he needed.
The repercussions, though, extend far beyond six months on the sidelines. Taylor has forfeited the £25,000 prize money he earned for reaching round two, a financial hit that nudged him just outside the top 64 in the PDC world rankings.
That drop has proven decisive. With his ranking now below the cut line, Taylor will not hold a tour card for 2026 – turning a damaging episode into a career-defining setback, and leaving his immediate future on the professional circuit hanging in the balance.
Already its clear from social media that many believe the punishment to be lenient at least. However, it may be wise to consider that there are legal responsibilities and sometimes less public mitigation that may have stayed their hand from the harshest possibilities.
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