"It's a shame for the sport" - Gian van Veen speaks out against Euro Tour changes

Gian van Veen was in action on the World Series of Darts at the 2025 Dutch Darts Masters last weekend. As has often seemed to be the case on TV over the last twelve months, Van Veen narrowly lost out in a high quality thriller in Den Bosch, this time to eventual runner-up Stephen Bunting.

The 22-year-old Dutchman did though, play in a new shirt, which was linked to his favorite football club FC Den Bosch. Whereas Van Veen usually always plays in a black and white shirt, this time he did so in blue and white. "They are the colours of FC Den Bosch, my favorite team, so I thought it was fitting now that the Dutch Darts Masters was taking place in Den Bosch," Van Veen told Sportnieuws.nl. "I do occasionally go to watch a game, especially when I'm in the country on Fridays. Besides, I know some of the players, too."

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Van Veen took time for a well-deserved holiday after the past PDC World Darts Championship, in which he lost in the second round to Ricardo Pietreczko. "I first went with my girlfriend to Cancun (Mexico) for a week and then we went to Miami for a few days. I really enjoyed it and I am ready for the new season," he says of the break.

Gian van Veen went down 6-5 against Stephen Bunting in the opening round of the Dutch Darts Masters

Recently, the rules for qualifying for the European Tour were changed. Thus, the top 16 of the world rankings are now automatically qualified for the second round. The top 16 of the Pro Tour Order of Merit are also automatically seeded, but no longer for the second round, but for the first round. "I had worked hard for a year to get into that top 16 on the Pro Tour. I just managed to do that and then suddenly they change the rules," Van Veen laments. "I understand it somewhere, but still it's a shame for the sport, now you get even more of the same matches. You already see that with the Premier League Darts, now it's going to be the same with the European Tour."

Van Veen himself did not yet qualify for the Premier League Darts, but he has been eyeing the selection with suspicion. "Six players are justified anyway, only the choice of Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price can be debated. Players like Mike De Decker, Damon Heta and Dave Chisnall certainly have reason to complain, I understand their disappointment. On the other hand, they could never make a 'good' choice, there would always have been discussion."

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