Vincent van der Voort critical of the ‘hug culture’ in darts: "That match is far from over and they’re hugging each other"
PDC
Sportsmanship between darters has become increasingly visible in recent years. A fist bump after a tidy finish, a hug after a key leg, or even lengthy congratulations while the match is still going on: it’s almost part of modern darts now. But not everyone appreciates that trend. In the latest episode of the Darts Draait Door podcast, Vincent van der Voort argued for more rivalry on stage.
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A hug afterwards doesn’t have to be a problem at all, according to the former player. During a match, though, it’s different. “If it happens after the match and you’re sporting with each other, then it’s not that big a deal,” he explains. “Only in darts it’s almost turning into a group of friends.”
He cites the recent final between Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries at the World Grand Prix as an example. Price started superbly but saw Humphries battle back to 3-1 with a crucial 105 finish. “Humphries takes out 105 and it becomes 3-1. That match is far from over and they’re hugging each other. As if everything that’s happening is great fun. Yes, it’s fun, but no: not at that moment.”
Price, he says, had every reason to be frustrated right then. “Price had him where he wanted and could have made it 4-0 to pull away. Now he gets dragged back into the match and then he went 4-3 behind. That’s not fun when that happens.”
He then draws a comparison with football. “I don’t like it either if Feyenoord score and an Ajax player goes to hug him. You never see that: ‘What a great goal you scored.’ I don’t want to see that. I just want to see them go toe-to-toe and do everything to win.”
That doesn’t mean, he says, that players shouldn’t show any goodwill. A fist bump after a special finish is more than enough. After that, full focus must return to the match. “You can just give a fist bump: nice finish. And then go completely back into yourself, because you have to carry on.”
“A bit of needle”
He understands that other darts fans enjoy camaraderie on stage. He simply views elite sport differently. “Maybe others say: ‘I think it’s fantastic, great that he does that, sporting.’ That’s fine by me. But for me: I enjoy sport most when there’s a bit of needle between them. As long as it stays within the lines.”
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The infamous clash between Price and Gary Anderson at the Grand Slam of Darts in 2018 comes up as an example. Emotions ran high that night, yet it’s still remembered years later. That, he says, is exactly the appeal.
“Everyone condemned it. And they still use that clip. Everyone loves it and everyone is still talking about that final. Those are the matches you remember.”
During the 2018 Grand Slam final, tempers flared between Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson.
“I’m just completely gutted when I lose”
He has plenty of examples from his own career. One old match against Adrian Lewis is mentioned. In the closing stages he left 92 after a 140, only for Lewis to suddenly take out 164.
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There was little appetite for warm congratulations at that moment. “I still had to give a quick interview and I said: it’s pretty neat, isn’t it. Treble 20, treble 18, dead centre bull. But I wasn’t looking at the board. I only heard it.”
That, he says, is exactly the emotion that belongs in elite sport. If you’ve just lost a deciding leg, you don’t need to be as enthusiastic as the one who won. “Maybe I’m just different from others. I’m just completely gutted that I’ve lost. It’s 5-5 and he takes out 164.”
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He can barely understand situations where players laugh after their opponent produces a huge finish. “That’s not funny at all. It’s really brutal when that happens at that moment.”
So sportsmanship is absolutely fine, but preferably when the last dart has been thrown. A handshake, maybe a brief hug, and then that’s it. During the match he’d rather see two players who show that only one thing matters: winning. “If you’re just as happy as the winner, I don’t like that at all.”
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Samuel GillChief Content Officer
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.
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- Assuming you qualify as one of the "muppets" in question. Classist too. And since you're so clearly interested in academia, look up "linguistic descriptivism" while you're at it. Oh, and better stay away from the working class sport of darts and maybe offer your insightful analysis to, let's say, croquet instead?Deduce635806-10-2026
- The consequences of being uneducated and grammatically challenged. "To all THOSE muppets not THEM " Everytime I see Arsepinall, I have an image of him wearing a cap, standing behind the counter of a fast food establishment.richieburnettrocks05-10-2026
- I don't understand Littler's reason for playing this tournament.rick6705-10-2026
- James Wade has become James Wide. He has piled on the tonnage considerably, he barely fits in his shirt.richieburnettrocks03-10-2026
- Littler will play whatever tournaments he decides. But does every headline have to start with him? Bristow bought Taylor through,and he followed that with Lewis. I can't see littler doing the same. Let him choose,and lose,he's getting good at that lately!rick6702-10-2026
- I believe he has it in him to qualify for the Worlds as he consistently wins matches, even if it is only one or two at a time, although his recent PC quarter-final run was somewhat encouraging in that regard. I think there is a lot of pressure for him to retire, people in the media accusing him of tarnishing his legacy. I think that is a ridiculous line of thinking. How ungrateful it is to attach terms and conditions to the amazing moments he has provided us over the course of his career. What position are we in to dictate to him how he should manage his career when it is he who achieved those successes in the first place? What's more, this is his life and the passion that sustains it, it is not for us to decide when his career is over when it is he who must bear the genuine ramifications of that decision. Since I'm sure money is not a concern, the only question on which the decision should rest is whether he truly continues to enjoy competing. He has retired once before, but the desire to compete is what brought him back. We see a lot of negative body language and he does genuinely look miserable when he is not playing well, but only he will know when he wakes up the next day whether he wants to go and do it all over again. If he wants to compete, he should, it's as simple as that, this is a decision that should not involve anyone else but him and his family. He should not retire to indulge the whims of the media or the public. What satisfaction would he receive by being forced into retirement? What closure would it bring to such a brilliant career? When Phil Taylor decided to retire, his decision was final and resolute. I believe RvB needs to get to this point himself, no matter how many 70 averages it might take. We see the likes of John Part continue to compete on a regular basis well past his prime, I say more power to him, and who knows, further glory could be around the corner, it's darts after all, you just never know. Sometimes I worry that RvB is acutely aware of the clamour for him to retire and that this pressure may even have an impact on his performances as he begins to question whether there is even a place for him in darts anymore, further compounding his poor form and creating a vicious loop. Perhaps to take his future into his own hands would provide him with a levity and freedom that would lend itself to better performances, not to mention an improved wellbeing. In any case, it is under these conditions that one can clear-headedly and definitively settle an issue so profound as retirement, not when you feel you're being rushed out the door. If his performances can no longer sustain his presence on the tour, so be it; as it stands his card seems safe for this year but is in serious jeopardy next year. He could always allow himself to drop off the tour naturally rather than forfeiting his place in the top 64, this could provide a sense of finality while offering a route back through Q-School if he so desired; after all, he's done it before. In conclusion, I just hope that RvB can play - or not play - for his own sake, rather than anyone else's, so that when the time comes he can be in no doubt as to his decision, leaving no lingering questions, so that he can reflect with no regret or uncertainty on the marvelous career he has had.Deduce635826-09-2026
- Luke Littler has been good for the sport of darts, no question. But he is not above it. For his sake and ours, he needs to be put in his place sometimes, rather than having his every whim catered to. That is not how you build a good person nor a good sporting organisation, and it's beginning to have consequences.Deduce635826-09-2026
- Extremely disappointing decision. It used to be that, along with major events and Euro Tours, the Players Championship series constituted one of three standards against which successful darts players could be measured, one of three challenges every successful darts player should be expected to master to consider themself among the elite. Now they are dead weight in the darting calendar, and player turnout and the standard of competitiveness will reflect that. The truth is that Luke Littler and other big names would rather play lucrative exhibitions than put in the hard graft that being a successful dart player requires. It undermines the authority of the PDC and the game in general. So what do they do about it? Give them exactly what they want. Of course, why wouldn't they? They are their star attractions. It is ironic that an organisation formed in protest by the sport's elite should be undermined and disrespected by their contemporary equivalents, but the PDC had a chance to stand up to them with a firm message: play 2 events all year and expect the final to be played without you. Instead, they caved in. These events will be hardly worth playing anymore and this decision may have grave consequences for the future of floor events at the elite level. Some may say the calendar is overstuffed, yet these elite players have more than enough time to play plenty of exhibitions. The Premier League in particular is gruelling, but busy players are not expected to play every event, they are expected to manage their playing schedule carefully in order to apportion their time and energy appropriately. Clayton and Humphries, for instance, both sit in the top 20 of the Players Championship and European orders of merit, in addition to competing in the Premier League; they have proven it is absolutely possible and this change is an insult to their efforts in effectively managing their calendars. I think we are seeing players who simply think they are too good for Pro Tour events, arrogance which should be punished rather than rewarded as we are seeing here. Furthermore, why should success in Euro Tours qualify you for the Players Championship Final? The PDC are blurring the lines between those three disciplines of darting excellence, and in so doing destabilising the very foundations upon which the organisation and its success is built. Some may say I'm overreacting, but this, in addition to the PDC's subservience and snivelling obsequiousness toward their biggest assets, makes me fear for the future of professional darts.Deduce635826-09-2026
- I guess this will mean the top players will turn up even less? Taken all the excitement of qualifying away I think. Wish they made it top 32 to qualify and the finals to last all week.Baphomet26-09-2026
- Great article - but not written by this site. It's taken wholesale from last Sunday's Observer with this interview published online on Saturday.Scoobedybop22-09-2026
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