"Jack Main's career is ruined and I believe he's not guilty!" - Chris Mason slams DRA amidst cloudy claims of match-fixing

Currently, both Adam Smith-Neale and Leighton Bennett are suspended from the PDC Pro Tour for one reason or another thanks to decisions made by the sport's regulatory authority, the DRA. Chris Mason was no stranger to controversy in his own playing days, but 'Mace' has completely lost faith in the DRA in 2024.

Bennett is alleged to have match fixed games on the MODUS Super Series over a two day period back on the 6th September and 9th September in 2023, and has been suspended from playing DRA (Darts Regulation Authority) sanctioned events including PDC tournaments with immediate effect after suspicious betting patterns were detected in his matches. On the topic of the English youngster's suspension, Mason was highly critical of the DRA's operation. 

"Listen, I've got absolutely no faith in the DRA anymore. None," Mason slams in conversation with Online Darts. "For one, it's just such a long-winded process. At Q-School he (Leighton Bennett ed.) had his phone taken off him. Then it was given back so why are we now in September and something is announced? It doesn't take that long. And all this on 'probability'? On my life, if the DRA tried this with one of the elite players who have the finances to go 'oh hang on a minute, let's take this let's take this to the highest court possible,' they'd go probability? So you have no evidence but you think he's done something and you're ruining his career over it?"

"If they're guilty, then tough. But if you're not guilty, you're potentially ruining someone's life. Like Jack Main (another player accused of match-fixing)'s career is ruined and I believe he's not guilty!" Mason continues. "I've seen all the 'evidence' and there isn't a court in the world that would find him guilty because there is no evidence. Yet, they found him guilty on probability."

Despite his reservations about the DRA's handling of things, Mason is a proponent of severe punishment if a player is 100% confirmed to be guilty. "I think that's got to be dealt with differently. If you find they're blatantly throwing matches for financial gains, just ban them for life. That's the end of the problem you know, ban them for life," he explains, although that too has nuances. "But then you look at the case of Wessel Nijman who was completely open and upfront, worked alongside the PDPA, created videos to educate people of the dangers of getting involved with these people. Am I glad Wessel's back? Absolutely. Everybody deserves a second chance."

"But if you get caught twice, then I think that's your lot because then you're obviously playing the sport for the wrong reasons," he continues. "It's important to look at the circumstances behind it. Something could have happened where they have got involved in these organized gangs and they could have threats on their life, on their family's life, on their loved ones lives."

Is the issue a widespread problem in the sport though? "There is so much corruption out there, we've seen it in the cricket and the snooker. I certainly wouldn't say there's a problem in darts. I know there's been a few issues down in Portsmouth, but it's over 20,000 matches played! And again, what's the evidence on those that have been found out?"

"I want to know who this independent panel is that deals with the appeal, because if Jack Main's case was overturned, someone's going to take them to the cleaners," Mason concludes with a rueful shake of the head. "They won't dare touch a high-profile player and say 'oh we think it's a probability' because that'll be the end of them."