“Even Stevie Wonder can see he's a bit overweight” – Luke Littler receives support after call for healthier food at darts tournaments

The debate over professionalisation in the darts world has flared up again after Luke Littler spoke out about players’ lifestyle on tour. The young world champion called for healthier conditions during tournaments, but found little support from certain quarters within the sport.

Barry Hearn’s response caused the most uproar. The influential sports promoter, for years the face of the PDC, dismissed Littler’s suggestion out of hand. “So I said: ‘It’s a bloody darts tournament. What are you on about? Stop it and just drink your beer,’” said Hearn, drawing a clear line through the idea that the sport will change quickly on that front.

That remark raised eyebrows within darts. Former pro Vincent van der Voort actually agrees with Littler’s line of thinking. In the podcast Darts Draait Door, the debate was sharpened with the proposition: ‘Luke Littler should shut up and drink beer,’ a direct nod to Hearn’s words. Van der Voort reacted with surprise: "Then the biggest man in the PDC just says: 'He should just shut his mouth and drink beer.' That is quite astonishing, isn't it?"

The former top darter did not spare the young Englishman entirely, but did put his comments in perspective. "I mean, even Stevie Wonder can see he's a bit overweight," Van der Voort said with a wink. At the same time, he stressed the broader point behind the discussion. "We all talk about how those darts players really need to start living a bit healthier and doing more for the sport, because they are also calling cards for sponsors and the public and such. And it would be better for his own health too."

Jaco van Bodegom, former manager of Raymond van Barneveld, also recognises the picture Littler paints. He points to the backstage conditions at tournaments. "What I found most bizarre: you arrive at the Pro Tour at 9:15 in the morning, when I'm still waking up a bit. You can already smell the nuggets and the fries," he says. According to Van Bodegom, the standard of catering does not match the professional image the sport now has. "At the Premier League, you just expect a certain something." But the reality is different: “Cold fries and those pies.”

The controversy touches on a broader question within modern darts: how professional does the sport really want to be? Presenter Damian Vlottes captured that doubt succinctly. "How is it possible that the world number one, the face of darts, wants change and that the big boss talks about him like that? That's really bizarre, isn't it?"

According to Van der Voort, that reaction says a lot about the culture within darts. "That sort of thing, it can only happen in darts," he said. At the same time, he placed Hearn’s role in historical perspective. "Hearn has obviously been super important for darts and he made the prize money so nice, but he doesn't give a damn about those players. Absolutely zero. It's just about him making a lot of money."