1993 - Issue 244: WDC 16 Banned!

By CJ Harris-Hulme 24/07/2020

Despite the new events, and innovation, that the WDC had already brought to the sport, the BDO were determined to cut of the nascent organisation off at the knees. They moved straight to an immediate and draconian ban. The ban included the newly crowned World Champion, and servant of the game for the entire period of the BDOs existence, John Lowe.

Every active World Champion was effectively banned from darts overnight. Any aspiring player who joined them, and would not abandon the WDC, was also excluded.

John Lowe, Phil Taylor, Eric Bristow, Dennis Priestley, Jocky Wilson, Bob Anderson and Keith Deller were the active World Champions. But just as courageous were players just coming into their prime: Peter Evison, Mike Gregory, Richie Gardener, Rod Harrington, Jamie Harvey, Chris Johns, Kevin Spiolek, Alan Warriner and Big Cliff Lazarenko!

Following the views of each 'governing body' in Darts World article, the views of, and quotes from, John Lowe seem to sum up the true situation:

The WDC players

"wished to be able to maintain a reasonable standard of living from the sport they are very good at"