“Darts World Champion Advocates for the Return of Walk-On Girls”

Five-time darting world champion Raymond van Barneveld has signed a petition calling for the reintroduction of walk-on girls in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. The controversial decision to remove walk-on girls from PDC events in 2018 was aimed at making the sport more family-friendly.

However, the move faced backlash from fans and players, including van Barneveld, who opposed the decision and supported a petition with over 50,000 signatures.The 2024 PDC World Championship is currently underway without walk-on girls, but they are still present at exhibition tournaments. Former walk-on girl Charlotte Wood expressed that top darts stars don’t understand the rationale behind the removal and highlighted the financial impact, with an 80% loss of income for those affected.

Despite being part of the PDC circuit before the 2018 decision, Wood and her colleagues never received an apology for the financial hit. Wood mentioned that players and fans continue to express support for the return of walk-on girls, but she believes the decision was not made by darts enthusiasts. The debate about whether walk-on girls should be reintroduced in PDC darts events continues among players and fans.