The Professional Darts Corporation has quietly abolished a rule that forced players to carry a spare shirt in case their colours clashed with an opponent's, a change that has come into effect during the current World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
The regulation, which previously required the lower-ranked player to change if both competitors wore the same colour, was dropped following discussions between PDC president Barry Hearn and players. The news was confirmed by Matthew Edgar, a former World Championship participant, on his YouTube channel.
Edgar, who played in three PDC World Championships, recalled being forced to switch shirts when drawn against Michael van Gerwen, who is famous for wearing green. He explained that the highest-ranked player was allowed to keep their preferred colour, leaving the opponent to adapt. This proved especially awkward when facing players like Peter Wright, whose choice of outfit was unpredictable.
According to Edgar, Hearn encouraged the change as part of a drive to celebrate individual personalities in the sport. He said: 'As darts becomes more individual, as personalities were more encouraged, and with the meetings we had alongside Barry Hearn who was saying, We need you to show who you are... We need those individualities and those little bits that make our presence or familiarity. So the rule got scrapped.'
The rule change comes as the tournament continues, with Luke Littler having reached the last 16 after a 4-0 victory over Mensur Suljovic. Van Gerwen, who beat Arno Merk in the third round on Sunday, will wear his iconic green shirt again later this week. Littler and Luke Humphries are among the favourites for the title.
