"They’re so full of themselves" Vincent van der Voort lashes out again at PDC bosses after Euro Tour controversy

Last-minute withdrawals at the recent Euro Tour event in Riesa have stirred significant controversy in the darts world. While first reserve Richard Veenstra was able to step in just in time after Michael van Gerwen pulled out, second reserve Connor Scutt wasn’t so lucky. When Rob Cross withdrew too late, Scutt was denied the chance to compete - sparking criticism from former top player Vincent van der Voort.

Van der Voort argued that the incident once again exposes shortcomings in the PDC’s organization. Speaking on the Darts Draait Door podcast from Sportnieuws.nl, the outspoken Dutchman didn’t mince words. He believes the PDC, with all its resources, should be far better prepared for situations like this.

“The PDC has so much more prize money now, and they’re so full of themselves… Just hold the qualifying tournament on-site, a day before the main event,” Van der Voort said.

He called the current system - where qualifiers are held months in advance and at completely different venues - “illogical.” According to him, it’s a missed opportunity. Players who are in top form at the time of the tournament often have no chance to step in if someone pulls out late.

“It’s really not that complicated,” he added. “If the PDC offered prize money for the qualifier and held it the day before the main tournament, the problem would be solved. You’d have all the players on-site, and the ones in form. If someone withdraws, you’ve got a shadow list ready to go.”

Van der Voort didn’t hide his frustration with the PDC’s leadership, taking particular aim at chairman Barry Hearn and CEO Matt Porter. “Neither of them are players - they don’t get it,” he scoffed.

Michael van Gerwen also came up in the discussion as a further example of the system’s inflexibility. The Dutchman had withdrawn from the tournament in Graz in good time, but now regrets it after missing out on Riesa. Still, there’s no way back - his qualifier spot is already gone. “Next time, he won’t withdraw so early, because things can change,” Van der Voort concluded. “But really, the blame lies with the PDC.”