"It’s not exactly normal, is it?”: Farting Furore - Darts faces an unlikely image problem
PDCSunday, 20 July 2025 at 07:57
What began as a minor, almost humorous incident is now growing into a troubling trend within the darts world, as multiple players have recently made headlines for audibly passing wind during matches.
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Earlier this year, James Wade was left red-faced after being caught on camera not once, but twice, emitting disruptive sounds mid-game. Now, it's Josh Rock under the spotlight, after a conspicuously breezy moment during a Players Championship match against Rob Cross went viral. The incident has sparked widespread conversation, both within the darts community and beyond.
Damian Vlottes, host of the popular podcast Darts Draait Door, admits it's hard to take the issue entirely seriously, but he also underlines the potential damage to the sport’s reputation.
“We all try to treat darts as a serious, professional sport where players work hard and deserve respect,” he said. “But then Wade and Rock come along and, frankly, fart all over it. It’s not doing the image of darts any favours.”
Curiously, all of the recent incidents have occurred during Players Championship events—tournaments held behind closed doors, without spectators. This setting creates the perfect storm: sensitive microphones and total silence, leaving little to hide any inadvertent noises. Vlottes believes repercussions are inevitable.
“This is going to lead to penalties,” he predicted on his show.
Former professional Vincent van der Voort echoed those concerns and believes a pattern is beginning to emerge.
“It’s becoming a trend,” he said. “I don’t think the PDC is too pleased. It keeps coming up. I assume action will be taken.”
What kind of action the Professional Darts Corporation might take remains uncertain. Van der Voort speculated that warnings or fines could be on the table.
“I don’t know if these things are being formally reported, but at some point the PDC will probably have to ask players to show a bit more decency. It’s not exactly normal, is it?”
For now, the PDC has a moment to catch its breath—literally and figuratively. With the Players Championship series on pause ahead of the World Matchplay and the summer break, the stage shifts to Blackpool. There, the presence of a live audience may help mask any unexpected noises.
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Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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