Even in the short period since our last DartsWorld Extra there’s been plenty of ‘Barroom banter’ subject matter that our sport is so good at generating.
First there was the Next Gen spat between Luke Littler and Gian Van Veen. Two or three things should instantly pop into the mind of the fair, reminded and rational human being upon witnessing the furore created during their Manchester Premier League encounter.
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Firstly, it was clear that Luke did not behave in a particularly sporting or nice way. He did gesture to the crowd and did seem to revel in his opponent’s miss and encourage the crowd to do so. Considering the almost constant comment on the crowd being too boisterous, and disrupting the games , this was, at best, foolish.
Secondly, it was interesting to see our columnist Gian decide to tackle the matter head on and have none of it. Often Mr. Littler has been treated with kid gloves by older players who were wary of being seen as the bad guy or bully. GVV’s refusal to back down or let the matter go was of a different generational nature and may perhaps reveal more of our sport’s future rivalry dynamic.
Finally, good grief people calm down. It was a few choice words after a few ill chosen actions. Jocky Wilson once booted Eric Bristow in the shin just as they went on stage in order to give him something to think about! All head to head sports include clashes of style and specific rows. It’s what makes the game interesting on a level well beyond the numbers.
Darts Regulation Authority Updates Gender/ Sex Catagory Guidance
The DRA decision to alter its gender/sex category guidelines brought forth the usual extremist responses. DW has remained measured throughout but has firmly supported the female classification/category.
It is clear that almost all sporting activity is reverting to a stricter ‘biological female’ qualification and that this has the advantage of being unambiguous and as the category was originally designed.
Those expressing sympathy for players including Noa-Lynn Van Leuven might wish to note that none are ‘banned’ from darts but simply asked to play in the open category.
On the other hand, players who finished in positions just below the Dutch thrower in recent years have missed out on opportunity, financial reward and experience that cannot be replicated or corrected and are gone forever. We should add that no player is at fault for playing within the rules in place at any given time.
It is time to move forward with classification clarity.
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Originally published in DartsWorld Extra (25)
