Devon Petersen has responded after comments from Dutch darts commentator Jacques Nieuwlaat which covered a myriad of topics relating to his form including the sale of merchandise and working with Wayne Mardle.
ADVERTISEMENT
In a lengthy statement released on his social media accounts, Petersen discussed each point in turn saying that he is still working with Mardle and that he has minimal involvement in the merchandise selling on his platforms.
"It is a shame that people feel the need to make these kind of judgements and publicise them with almost no knowledge of those who they are criticising or their circumstances. If the person making these statements was a well informed pundit in our sport then he would know that I am still working with Wayne Mardle today. I have also been practicing as hard as ever to rediscover my form. To say that I ‘only sell shirts’ is a very silly comment," said Petersen.
"Devon Petersen merchandise gets sold. So does merchandise of many other players. My management team coordinate this for me - I have almost no involvement except for occasional posting on social media.
"My interactions on social media are part of my downtime. I enjoy engaging with my friends and followers from the general public. There are 24 hours in a day. I can’t practice for all of them!
"It is part of my profession to listen to and accept criticism of my game. To question my commitment to being a dart player is another thing entirely. I moved my family from South Africa to the UK to play in the PDC.
"I would like to thank all of my family, friends and colleagues whom I am working with to try to get back to my best. They know the effort I am putting in."
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.