Could a dartboard take its place alongside athletics or swimming on the biggest sporting stage on the planet? For some, the idea still seems far-fetched. But for others, especially in the Netherlands, the time for darts has come. Dutch MP Jimme Nordkamp has reopened the debate with a proposal that has not gone unnoticed. For him, it is time to make darts an Olympic sport.
“In my opinion, it’s time to take the next step: darts should become an Olympic sport. It is now a high-level competition,” the 29-year-old politician told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. His words have not fallen on deaf ears, especially in a country where the sport has a huge fan base and great champions.
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A global sport looking for its place
Although for many it is still synonymous with a pub or bar, darts has established itself as a professional discipline that attracts millions of viewers and generates great income. The Premier League of Darts and the PDC World Championship are followed by millions of spectators around the world, and figures such as Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries have become true sporting celebrities.
“There are already sports in the Olympic Games that are less professional and not as global as ours,” said Van Gerwen, a three-time world champion and Nordkamp’s compatriot. “I think it can happen, although it’s not my decision. That’s up to the International Olympic Committee, Matchroom Sport and the PDC. I have no voice or vote, although I would love it,” he added.
The main obstacle to darts reaching the Olympic Games is not its competitive level or its audience, but its organisational structure. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) requires that sports that are part of the Olympic programme are regulated by a single recognised international federation. And this is where darts has problems.
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is currently the main body of the professional circuit, but it is not the only one. There is also the World Darts Federation (WDF) and other regional entities, which fragments the governance of the sport. Without a single globally recognized entity, the IOC cannot consider its inclusion, no matter how popular or professional the discipline is.
