“He actually lifted a cheek and let rip... Surely that’s not allowed?” - Sour taste of 'Fartgate' lingers for James Wade

James Wade has built a reputation over the years for his unpredictable behaviour on stage, but even by his standards, his latest antics were something else entirely. During Players Championship 17, in a match against Peter Wright, Wade found himself at the centre of a rather bizarre – and frankly, hilarious – moment that’s since become the talk of the darts world.

The incident caught the attention of former Dutch hockey stars Ellen Hoog and Naomi van As, who discussed it in their latest Sportnieuws.nl podcast with equal parts disbelief and amusement. “This was such a strange one,” Hoog began. “Did you see it? I think Wade must’ve been a bit jittery, because right in the middle of the match, he let out an absolutely massive fart.”

“He actually lifted a cheek and let it rip,” she added, laughing. Van As could barely contain herself: “No, this wasn’t just your average fart – it was a full-on, rattling belter!”

Hoog doubled down: “Honestly, it was so loud – a proper ripper. I just had to rewind it to make sure I’d heard it right.”

Van As chimed in, describing the scene: “He was standing there with his back arched, bum out... what did he think was going to happen?” “You can’t get away with that!” Hoog agreed. “Surely that’s not allowed?”

Van As then posed the question many viewers were probably thinking: “Wouldn’t your pants get a bit grim after that?”

“Probably,” Hoog replied. “But I doubt he cares. And his opponent — poor bloke — had to keep throwing darts in that stench!”

The moment occurred just as Wade was collecting his darts from the board – and this isn’t the first time he’s been accused of similar on-stage behaviour. Fans may recall a previous ‘fartgate’ involving Wade, which drew criticism from fellow pro Vincent van der Voort. Speaking on the matter, Van der Voort said at the time: “This just isn’t on. It’s the second time he’s been involved in something like this, and to be honest, I think he should be fined.”

While the incident may have sparked plenty of laughs among fans and pundits alike, it has reignited conversations about sportsmanship, gamesmanship, and the boundaries of stage etiquette in professional darts. Whether it was nerves, mischief, or just an unfortunate moment, one thing is for sure – James Wade has once again found a way to grab the headlines.