The prestigious World Darts Championship has been thrown into a buzz of unexpected drama, not from the high-stakes competition, but from an invasion of wasps disrupting play at London's Alexandra Palace.
Player Takes Matters Into His Own Hands
During the opening round on Tuesday, Dutch competitor Jurjen van der Velde decided he had had enough of the winged interlopers. In a highly unusual move that captivated the crowd, van der Velde pulled a can of insect repellent from his pocket. He proceeded to spray the air around him liberally before applying some to himself, much to the amusement of spectators at the north London venue.
Organisers React and Match Outcome
The incident did not end with the spraying. Later, van der Velde was seen wiping his face with a cloth, prompting the tournament organiser, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), to post a humorous inquiry on social media platform X. They questioned whether the player was "emotional or has sprayed bug spray in his eyes." Despite his unique pre-match preparations, van der Velde's campaign was short-lived. He went on to lose his first-round match 3-1 to fellow Dutchman Danny Noppert.
A Persistent Problem for Players
The wasps have become a significant nuisance during the opening days of the championship, affecting players in multiple ways:
- Interfering with throws and concentration during matches.
- Disrupting post-match interviews and presentations.
- Forcing players to take defensive action.
The issue reached a dramatic peak on Sunday when another player, Nitin Kumar, managed to strike a wasp mid-flight with one of his thrown darts, showcasing the extent of the distraction faced by the athletes. The unexpected insect adversary has added a bizarre and challenging twist to the quest for the Sid Waddell Trophy.
