Dom Taylor loses tour card after prize money from PDC World Darts Championship comes off ranking due to failed drug test

During the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship, a major scandal caused a stir. Englishman Dom Taylor was removed from the tournament shortly before his second-round match against Jonny Clayton. The reason was the detection of prohibited substances. He had already missed the World Darts Championship the previous year, also due to a doping offense.

On December 19, the World Darts Championship was rocked by a major shock. The second-round match between Jonny Clayton and Dom Taylor was canceled a day before the scheduled date. Taylor’s analysis report revealed several irregularities. Clayton received a bye into round two, and Taylor’s Worlds ended immediately. It was not the first ban of his career, as he had already missed the Players Championship Finals and the World Darts Championship due to a sanction.

Yet the tournament had started promisingly for Taylor on the oche. With an opening win against Sweden’s Oskar Lukasiak, he seemed back on track. After the match, the Englishman spoke candidly about the hardest time of his life. He described the past year as the biggest disappointment of his career. Just five days later, however, the next setback followed for him, his family, and his fans. The PDC imposed another suspension.

Dom Taylor has since released an official statement. In it, he admitted taking prohibited substances. “Because of the memorial day for my late daughter, I was once again struggling with my mental health,” the Englishman explained. He spoke openly about how deeply he had let down those around him again.

For a long time, it was unclear what sporting consequences this case would have. Had Taylor been allowed to keep the prize money for the second round, he would have surely broken into the world’s top 60. Even with the prize money from round one, a spot in the top 64 and thus staying on tour would have been enough. A look at the official PDC Order of Merit provided clarity, however. Taylor is listed only at No. 68. This confirms he loses his Tour Card, while Belgian Mario Vandenbogaerde retains his playing rights.