Following extensive consultation with the PDC, the WDF can convey a player eligibility update for the 2023 WDF Lakeside World Championships. dartswdf.com/news/2023-wdf-…
Darting dilemma as PDC bans players from competing at both WDF Lakeside World Championship and Ally Pally
PDCWednesday, 13 September 2023 at 18:30
The PDC has informed the WDF that players who qualified for the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace will not be allowed to compete in the WDF World Championship at Lakeside.
For players without a PDC Tour Card, it is possible to qualify for both World Championships through a variety of routes. However, the PDC wants to retain their players qualified exclusively for their tournament. The measure applies to men's, women's, and youth players. In the past, an exception was still made for women, but this has now been scrapped.
This measure currently affects Beau Greaves, Luke Littler, and Berry van Peer. Greaves has led the WDF women's rankings for many years and is also the current reigning WDF Women's World Champion who is most affected by this news. However, she also qualified for the PDC World Darts Championship by winning the Women's World Matchplay in July.
Van Peer is on the verge of qualifying for the PDC World Darts Championship via the PDC Challenge Tour. However, the Dutchman is also currently claiming entry to Lakeside in Frimley Green via the reserve list so also needs to make a decision in the event of winning the Challenge Tour.
Luke Littler has secured qualification for Ally Pally via the PDC Development Tour and is also virtually qualified for the WDF World Championship via the WDF Ranking.
So the trio must start choosing which world championship they want to participate in. Littler has already indicated that he wants to play at Alexandra Palace with a Tour Card also secured for the 16-year-old, while Van Peer is likely to make that choice as well. Greaves in particular will be the main topic of debate surrounding her choice.
This is mainly due to Greaves' initial resistance to play PDC Women's Series and also recently declining an invite to play World Youth Championship and instead compete in Sweden on the WDF Tour. A side to the game that she has put a lot of time into in recent years.
Players such as Ben Robb could also add to the dilemma if he qualifies for the PDC World Darts Championship. He leads the DPNZ, with a play-off needed for the showpiece tournament which he will be the favorite to win.
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- I dont like individuals or crowds trying to put any player off when they are trying to check out, how anyone can think its okay for the crowd to whistle or shout as someone is throwing for a double is beyond me but it does seem to have become part and parcel of the modern game. I no longer play now, darts is as good as dead at a local level round my way but when i did play many years ago, no matter how intense the rivalry you never shouted out or whistled when an opponent from the other team was throwing for a double.Mysstree17-11-2024
- The pundits glossing over the other factor at play in that match. They appear to be somewhat constrained in what they can say publicly.
UndartedWaters16-11-2024 - So, you don't like Littler, then? I was cheering him on, being a fellow Englishman. Honestly, some of us get far too offended nowadays. If you want to see crowd passion... watch a match when German and Dutch players face off... that can be just as bad if not worse for crowd noises. It happens, I have watched and heard Littler being jeered - Dirk van Duijvenbode in Holland, January this year. Where was your outrage then? Yes, I can clearly see what is going on here.MrYnyslas197116-11-2024
- It happens. Remember, anyone who has watched German and Dutch players in matches - their respective countries will have seen/heard just as bad jeering (if not worse). Taylor and MVG are two prime examples of professionals who are able to cope with the crowds mentally and not take it personally. This is not just an English crowd problem, FFS.MrYnyslas197116-11-2024
- Was watching an old World Masters final the other day between Eric Bristow and John Lowe, the crowd respect for both players on throw was first class, not a sound. You can imagine now the idiots who were whistling on De Deckers throw proudly boasting about it on social media. I blame the PDC to a certain extent though doubt they really care as they win regardless of which player wins or loses.Mysstree16-11-2024