"You have to set the right example, especially for the youth" – Vincent van der Voort supports lengthy ban for Prakash Jiwa

The disciplinary committee recently handed down a particularly severe punishment to Prakash Jiwa. The 54-year-old Indian, who has lived in England his entire life, was found guilty of four instances of match-fixing. As a result, he received an eight-year suspension along with a £17,000 fine.

The case was discussed in a new episode of the Darts Draait Door podcast, where former professional darts player Vincent van der Voort expressed his approval of the committee's firm stance on Jiwa's actions.

For Jiwa, a former Tour Card holder and a participant in the 2023 World Darts Championship, this verdict likely marks the end of his career. “Phew,” Van der Voort reacted upon hearing the extent of the punishment. “Of course, they have to issue such harsh sanctions. If the offenses are proven, what else can the organization do? It’s a hefty punishment, but four cases is quite a lot. It’s difficult to determine the right penalty, but it has to be dealt with.”

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One notable aspect of professional darts is that cases of match-fixing remain relatively rare at the highest level. However, there has been a rise in reports of match-fixing in smaller tournaments. “I think that’s because more games are now played online,” Van der Voort explained. “Often in short-format matches, which makes results even more vulnerable. The players competing in those kinds of tournaments don’t earn much to begin with, so it happens more easily.”

Prakash Jiwa in action at the 2023 Darts World Cup

Van der Voort fully supports the strong response from the disciplinary committee. “If you don’t take action, it might start to seem like it’s worth the risk. And that’s something you have to prevent at all costs—it’s incredibly damaging. You have to set the right example, especially for the youth. They need to know this isn’t something they can just try and get away with.”

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