"I’ve had it too - messages saying they hope my child dies" - Dirk van Duijvenbode offers support for Ricky Evans after recent online abuse

Ricky Evans recently suffered the unexpected loss of his sister. Following a defeat at the 2025 European Darts Trophy last weekend, the painful reality of his loss hit him once again as the loveable Englishman was targeted by some vile comments online.

Evans had won his opening-round match at the European Darts Trophy, beating Raymond van Barneveld 6-4. However, after the match, Van Barneveld gave Evans a somewhat limp handshake, which led to heavy criticism on social media. Many fans felt his behavior was disrespectful.

But that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Evans quickly responded, clarifying that Van Barneveld was actually one of the first people to reach out to him after hearing about his sister’s passing. The Dutchman had assured Evans that he could always count on him—something the Englishman deeply appreciated.

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Evans was eliminated in the next round, losing 6-1 to Dave Chisnall. On top of that, he became the target of vile abuse on social media. Evans received a message calling him a fat s*** before saying he is as useless as his 'dead sister' and would be 'seeing her in hell'.

On the latest episode of the Darts Draait Door podcast, Evans' fellow pro Dirk van Duijvenbode offered his support. "I have no words for that," said the 32-year-old Dutchman. "That’s just someone who lost a bet for money. I’ve had it too—messages saying they hope my child dies."

"It gets really extreme," Van Duijvenbode continued. "People saying they hope your whole family dies. Sadly, it’s not even surprising anymore. Well, actually, it is crazy, but you get messages like that all the time. The best thing to do is block them right away—at least then you won’t hear from that person again. Do I ever feel the urge to respond? Always," he admitted.

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"First person to come up to me to offer his sympathy": Ricky Evans aims to curb 'unnecessary hate' aimed at Raymond van Barneveld after emotional win

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