'It’s not exactly normal, is it?': Farting Furore - Darts faces an unlikely image problem

What began as a minor, almost humorous incident is now growing into a troubling trend within the darts world, as multiple players have recently made headlines for audibly passing wind during matches.

Earlier this year, James Wade was left red-faced after being caught on camera not once, but twice, emitting disruptive sounds mid-game. Now, it's Josh Rock under the spotlight, after a conspicuously breezy moment during a Players Championship match against Rob Cross went viral. The incident has sparked widespread conversation, both within the darts community and beyond.

Damian Vlottes, host of the popular podcast Darts Draait Door, admits it's hard to take the issue entirely seriously, but he also underlines the potential damage to the sport’s reputation. “We all try to treat darts as a serious, professional sport where players work hard and deserve respect,” he said. “But then Wade and Rock come along and, frankly, fart all over it. It’s not doing the image of darts any favours.”

Curiously, all of the recent incidents have occurred during Players Championship events—tournaments held behind closed doors, without spectators. This setting creates the perfect storm: sensitive microphones and total silence, leaving little to hide any inadvertent noises. Vlottes believes repercussions are inevitable. “This is going to lead to penalties,” he predicted on his show.

Former professional Vincent van der Voort echoed those concerns and believes a pattern is beginning to emerge. “It’s becoming a trend,” he said. “I don’t think the PDC is too pleased. It keeps coming up. I assume action will be taken.”

What kind of action the Professional Darts Corporation might take remains uncertain. Van der Voort speculated that warnings or fines could be on the table. “I don’t know if these things are being formally reported, but at some point the PDC will probably have to ask players to show a bit more decency. It’s not exactly normal, is it?”

For now, the PDC has a moment to catch its breath—literally and figuratively. With the Players Championship series on pause ahead of the World Matchplay and the summer break, the stage shifts to Blackpool. There, the presence of a live audience may help mask any unexpected noises.