Darts stars 'are sneaking booze into matches disguised in water bottles', as event organisers warn them of £1,000 fines if they are caught
- Darts authorities have tightened the sanctions for drinking during tournaments
- They alleged some players have smuggled alcohol in using water bottles
- Players who break the anti-booze rules will be fined or face suspensions
Darts fans have long enjoyed a pint - or 10 - when watching the action on the oche.
But now it's the players who have been warned about competing under the influence of booze.
Darts authorities say some players have been smuggling alcohol into venues by concealing it in water bottles despite previous warnings this is forbidden.
Now they've imposed tough new sanctions - including fines of up to £1,000 and suspensions - in an effort to dry out the sport.
An e-mail sent by the Professional Darts Players Association [PDPA] to their members - shared by social media account Darts Anonymous - outlined the new rules.
Darts fans are well known for their boozing at big events - but now players have been warned
The PDPA sent this message to players warning players about smuggling alcohol into venues
It read: 'There has been an increase in the number of instances where players have been found to have brought alcohol into venues at floor events.
'This has been disguised in water bottles and other containers. This is expressly forbidden and players have been previously been notified that this is a breach of the Tournament Rules.
'The PDC [Professional Darts Corporation] have discussed this with the DRA [Darts Regulation Authority] and it has been decided that to deter such actions, more robust sanctions are needed for players who are caught bringing alcohol into venues at events.
'The new approach is to issue incremental fines for such breaches.'
The message then outlined that players would be fined £250 for a first offence, £500 for a repeat and £1,000 for a third breach.
If they break the rules a fourth time, they'd be 'referred to the DRA Disciplinary Committee with an expectation of a suspension.'
While the price of a pint at the O2 Arena for Thursday night's Premier League Darts final outraged fans, the drinking culture among players isn't often discussed.
Last year, the German player Jochen Graudenz suggested as many as 70 per cent of the game's leading players today are alcoholics despite the perception the sport has shed its boozy image.
Darts fans dressed as Teletubbies at the World Championship at Alexandra Palace this year
German darts player Jochen Graudenz has warned over the use of alcohol by the sport's stars
Graudenz expressed concerns over the sport's relationship with alcohol among top players
'Darts is an unfair sport', Graudenz said in an interview with dartsnews.de. 'If you want to reach the top you have 70 per cent of the top stars who are alcoholics.
'Darts is 95 per cent [in the] head. When you play at home in your familiar environment you play great darts.
'When you go to a tournament you probably don't play great darts anymore because: "Everything is strange here, I'm nervous, I'm playing against someone".
'And what's the best way to solve that problem? By just getting drunk. And I absolutely can't deal with that.
'There's a good player and the young guy sees that he drinks. What does the young guy do sooner or later? He drinks too. Because he thinks it will make him better.
'That's certainly true in the short term, but the problem is that it affects your health. At some point it goes downhill physically.'
