Tour Card holder suspended after positive doping test; barred from participating in Players Championship Finals

Remarkable news from the darts world on Friday. The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) announced Friday that Dominic Taylor has been provisionally suspended after taking a positive doping test.

Taylor was recently tested at a Players Championship event and tested positive for a banned substance. It is not known what banned substance he used. The chairman of the DRA (disciplinary committee in darts) confirmed that Taylor has been provisionally suspended effective immediately and will appear for a disciplinary hearing at a date to be determined.

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As a result, Taylor is also barred from participating in this weekend's Players Championship Finals. Originally, the Englishman was scheduled to take on Michael Smith, who will have a new opponent. Nick Kenny has been called up as a replacement, allowing the Welshman to take on "Bullyboy.

It is still unclear whether Taylor will be allowed to compete in the Worlds in December. If Taylor is withdrawn before the World Championship draw (which is on Monday, Nov. 25), Robert Owen will slide through as a replacement. If this occurs after the draw, then the losers in the final round at the Tour Card-qualifying tournament will be considered. These will then be ranked according to their position on the PDC Order of Merit. The highest ranked loser then advances.