“That's not meant disrespectfully to Raymond. I am a big fan of Van Barneveld, just like Taylor. But sometimes the hourglass is empty. Then the desire is no longer there. I thought Taylor had stopped playing darts too early, and I think Barney also retired too soon, ”Hearn tells RTL News .

For Hearn, while he believes that, he knows it is entirely their decision. “I am not Phil Taylor and I am not Raymond van Barneveld. When they feel the time is right, I applaud that decision and hope they can enjoy the rest of their lives. ”

Finally, as someone who oversees the whole sport, Hearn admits that while they are heroes that darts as a sport is fine without them. “Of course I would have liked Raymond and Phil to still play, but I understand their reasons. And darts is big and strong enough to develop talent, so they are not missed. They are among the heroes of yesteryear, ” he concluded.