Alan Warriner-Little Goes For It

After 20 years on the circuit 'The Iceman' has decided to go full time and leave his NHS job of 27 years. Alan has been world number 1 and won the World Grand Prix during his career and recognising that he has slipped down the rankings has taken this brave decision in an attempt to return to those heights.

Here at DartsMad.com, and in association with our firends at 180-Poker.com, we are putting our faith in Alan achieving just that by sponsoring him for the coming season. We know he has the talent and with 100% focus we are convinced this decision will pay off. We wish Alan all the luck in the world. Game on!

OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENT SECURES THE RIGHTS OF BDO/WDF PLAYERS IN IDL AND WDT

An out of court settlement securing the rights of BDO/WDF players in the two top Dutch tournaments – the Topic International Darts League and World Darts Trophy – was finalised yesterday by the British Darts Organisation

This follows the BDO decision to issue a writ in the District Court of Amsterdam against promoter Maximum Score BV and broadcaster SBS Broadcasting BV requiring them to abide by their obligations in the Participation Agreement that the BDO signed with them in August 2006.

The Participation Agreement guaranteed that at least 28 BDO/WDF players will participate in the 2007 IDL and WDT events, but up until yesterday (April 12) afternoon such participation remained in jeopardy.

The settlement that has now been agreed (in consultation with the IDPA) guarantees the participation of 28 BDO/WDF players and 28 PDC players in the 2007 and 2008 IDL and WDT events, and sets out a long-term framework for the participation in these events beyond 2008.

The 2007 IDL event will start on Friday, May 4th, with a preliminary round robin between 16 BDO/WDF players and 16 PDC players. The players invited to participate in the preliminary round will comprise: those ranked 13 to 28 in the BDO/WDF IDL Final Invitation Table; those placed 13 to 16 in the PDC Order of Merit at April 3rd; the four players given promoters’ wild cards, and eight PDC qualifiers from an event in Birmingham on April 21st.

The 32 players in the preliminary round robin will be divided into eight groups of four players, with the eight group winners progressing to the main event commencing on Saturday, May 5th. 

The main draw will comprise: The top 12 BDO/WDF players in the BDO rankings (8 of whom will be seeded), and the top 12 players in the PDC Order of Merit (8 of whom will also be seeded).

Overall prize money for the 2007 IDL will be as follows:

WINNER:         30,000 EUROS
R/up:                15,000 EUROS
S/Finalists:       7,500 EUROS
Q/Finalists:       4,500 EUROS
9TH-17TH:          3,000 EUROS
1ST Rd:              2,000 EUROS

Highest Checkout:       1,000 EUROS

Olly Croft, Managing Director of BDO Enterprises Ltd says:

 “During these unfortunate proceedings our main priority has been to protect the livelihood of our players. The 28 who have (and will) earn the right to compete in the 2007 IDL and WDT, will now take their rightful place in these events, and we are delighted for them and for the fact that common sense and fairness has prevailed.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who took part in negotiating the settlement just 24 hours before we were due in court”.

The 2007 Topic International Darts League will be played from Friday, May 4th to Sunday, May 13th in the Triavium, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and the 2007 WDT will be played from Friday, August 31st to Sunday, September 9th.  Both events will be broadcast by SBS.

BDO ISSUES WRITS AGAINST IDL PROMOTER & BROADCASTER

The British Darts Organisation has issued Writs in the Dutch courts against Maximum Score BV and SBS Broadcasting BV, seeking an order requiring them to abide by their obligations in the Agreement that the BDO signed with them in August 2006, in regard to both the International Darts League (IDL) and World Darts Trophy (WDT).

The Agreement, dated 14 August 2006, requires Maximum Score and SBS (respectively, the promoter and broadcaster of the IDL and WDT) to ensure (among other things) that at least 28 BDO/WDF players (and therefore no more than 4 PDC players) are invited to participate in the 2007 IDL and WDT events.

Without any prior discussion or contact with the BDO, however, Maximum Score has recently announced that it will be inviting only 12 BDO/WDF players to participate in the 2007 IDL event, and filling the remaining places with PDC players.  It has offered no justification for this blatant breach of its clear legal obligations, but nevertheless refuses to comply with the Agreement. 

The BDO therefore have no alternative but to issue the Writs in order to safeguard the best interests of the BDO, its players and the sport of darts.

Olly Croft, Managing Director of BDO Enterprises Ltd says:  “We have a duty to the BDO and to the livelihood of our players, to ensure that the Agreement is respected not only in law, but in the true spirit of open and fair sport. 

“The BDO cannot, and will not, stand by while 16 BDO/WDF players who have earned their right to compete in the 2007 IDL, are overlooked in favour of 16 PDC players and wild cards, who have absolutely no right to be competing.”

BDO Announces Review of Betting Rules
1 Febuary 2007  

Following on from its signature last year of the DCMS sponsored Code of Practice on Integrity in Sports Betting, and in preparation for the coming into force later this year of the Gambling Act, which will liberalise the UK gambling market and so further encourage the upward trend in betting on sports such as darts, the BDO has today announced that it has instituted a root-and-branch review of its rules and regulations. 

This has been done to ensure that the BDO follows best practice in relation to activities such as betting and the use of inside information by darts players. 

It is a decision that reflects the commitment of the BDO, as the sport’s governing body, to do everything in its power to protect the integrity of the sport in the face of this increasing betting activity.

BDO Chairman, Dave Alderman, said: “The DCMS recognised last year that the liberalising effect of the Gambling Act would increase the risk of corrupt betting practices in relation to sports events, where gambling activity is already significant.

The DCMS also recognised that sports bodies would have a key role in keeping sport fair and crime-free in the face of those risks. 

The BDO is committed to playing its part in full, by ensuring that darts players participating in its events avoid any form of conduct that could undermine public confidence in the integrity of those events. 

The root-and-branch review announced today will ensure that our rules and regulations reflect best practice in this area. 

We look forward to engaging with the Gambling Commission on this and related topics when they publish their forthcoming Issues Paper relating to gambling and the sports sector.”  

He also called upon the government to play its part in preserving the integrity of sport against corrupt betting practices, in two principal ways: (1) by requiring licensed gambling operators to share information about betting activity around sports events with the relevant sports bodies, such as the BDO; and (2) more fundamentally, by assisting in the creation of a mechanism to secure fair payment for betting companies’ use of the sporting product, to assist in financing both integrity efforts and the development of the sport more generally. 

Alderman added: “The betting industry makes huge profits from sports betting, and it is only fair that it should pay something in return, particularly when sports bodies have to commit substantial resources to ensure that betting activity does not threaten the integrity of the sport.

At several meetings with representatives of the Gambling Commission, we have stood with our counterparts at other sports bodies such as the FA, the LTA and the RFU in asking the Gambling Commission to ensure that these important issues are addressed within the new regulatory framework, and we are hopeful that that message has been heard and understood.” 

SCOTLAND INTERNATIONAL SQUADS FOR 2007
Wednesday 21st February 2007

The Scottish Darts Association have announced the following International squad for 2007:

MARK BARILLI ( Renfrewshire )
DANNY CUNNINGHAM ( Fife )
DEREK CUNNINGHAM ( Lanarkshire ) RECALLED
GEORGE DALGLISH ( Lothian )
PAUL HANVIDGE ( Renfrewshire )
JOHN HENDERSON ( Grampian ) RECALLED
EWAN HYSLOP ( Borders ) NEW CAP
DAVID LISTER ( Central ) RECALLED
PAUL McGIMPSEY ( Cumbria )
ROSS MONTGOMERY ( E. Renfrewshire ) RECALLED
MARK STUART ( East Renfrewshire )
HARRY TODMAN ( Lothian)
MIKE VEITCH ( Lothian ) Captain

LYNN COWAN ( Lanarkshire )
MARGARET FERGUSON (Ayrshire )
LOUISE HEPBURN ( Renfrewshire )
JANETTE HIGGINS ( Lanarkshire )
BRENDA HUNTER ( Fife )
FRANCES LAWSON ( Lothian )
SUSANNA YOUNG ( E. Renfrewshire ) RECALLED
MOIRA MURRAY ( Fife ) Non-playing Captain

JOHN COOK Team Manager

WALES INTERNATIONAL SQUADS FOR 2007
Monday 5th February 2007

The Welsh selectors have made six changes to their International squads for 2007.
 
They have awarded first time caps to - Lee Davies, David Smith-Hayes, Gareth Holt and Geraint Thomas, and recalled Natalie Evans and John Roberts to their line-ups. Their first challenge will be  the British Internationals Championships at Bridlington on 28/29th April.

MENS

Martin Phillips  (Gwynedd)  Captain
Lee Davies  (Glamorgan)
Wayne Davies  (Glamorgan)
Phil Evans  (Breconshire)
David Smith-Hayes (Derbyshire)
Gareth Holt (Montgomery & Radnor)
Robert Hughes  (Pembrokeshire)
Peter Johns  (Gwent)
Dale Pinch  (Glamorgan)
John Roberts (Montgomery & Radnor)
Geraint Thomas (Breconshire)
Wayne Warren  (Glamorgan)
Mark Webster  (Clwyd)

WOMEN

Linda Rogers-Pickett  (Gwent)  Captain
Rhian Edwards  (Pembrokeshire)
Natalie Evans (Breconshire)
Julie Gore  (Pembrokeshire)
Sandra Greatbatch  (Cambridgeshire)
Jan Robbins  (Gwent)
Gaynor Williams  (Gwynedd)

Team Captain is Malcolm Hawkins

DRA Issue Fines to PDC Stars
Thursday 22nd February 2007

CHRIS MASON, Phil Taylor and Steve Maish have been fined by the Darts Regulation Authority following the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

Mason was fined £750 and handed a four-month ban - suspended for 12 months - by the DRA for behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner during and after his third round match with Taylor.

Taylor was fined £400 for using inappropriate and unacceptable language during a television interview following the match.

The DRA's Disciplinary Committee also handed a £300 fine to Steve Maish for behaving in a dangerous manner following his defeat to Wynand Havenga.

Mervyn King Joins The PDC

THE Professional Darts Corporation can announce that Mervyn King has joined the PDPA and will compete on the PDC Pro Tour circuit. The move comes just weeks after top Dutch stars Michael van Gerwen, Jelle Klaasen and Vincent van der Voort joined the PDC.

King, 40, reached the semi-finals of the recent Lakeside Championship, and has twice lost in the final at Frimley Green, to Tony David in 2002 and Andy Fordham two years later. He won the 2004 World Masters Final against Tony O'Shea, and repeated that victory in the following year's International Darts League.

Great Yarmouth-based King has picked up other titles at the 1997 Dutch Open and 2005 Dutch Grand Masters, and is hoping to add further honours on the £3 million PDC circuit. "It's a new challenge for me," said King. "It's a frightening prospect but an exciting prospect at the same time. "I'm looking to further my career and have noticed for a couple of years the strength in depth of the PDC. "I want to be a part of that and move forward with it in the coming years."

King will compete alongside Phil Taylor, Colin Lloyd, Wayne Mardle and Peter Manley in the England team for the Masters of Darts tournament next week. He is expected to make his debut on the PDC Pro Tour in the Blue Square UK Open South-East Regional Final in London at the start of March.

"We're delighted to welcome Mervyn into the PDC ranks," said Professional Darts Corporation Chairman Barry Hearn. "He is a quality player capable of winning major tournaments, and he has proved by joining the PDC that he has the ambition and desire to compete against the best players in the world on the game's biggest stages."