Tuesday 30th May 2006

WDF EXECUTIVE STATEMENT

TO:        Principal Contacts - WDF Member Darts Bodies  cc:  Other Officials and Interested Parties  

FROM:   WDF Executive                                                                                    

Recently your Executive Board has been apprised of misinterpretations of WDF Tournament Rules & Bye-Laws, which has led to the disqualification of players from several WDF Ranked Events.   Based on consultation with professional counsel, following is the history and WDF interpretation of relevant sections of the WDF Constitution, Playing Rules and Bye-Laws.  

HISTORY:

The WDF is a federation of darts bodies representing countries throughout the World, safeguarding their status as representatives of their countries and encouraging the promotion of the Sport of Darts.   Since 1997, the WDF also recognizes "professional groups, companies, or associations" (e.g. PDC, PDPA, IDPA), so long as they:  (1) recognize the WDF as the world governing body; (2) recognize each  WDF Member Darts Body as that country's governing authority for darts; (3) cooperate and work through and with the WDF.  

Recognition of these organizations was the result of a legal settlement reached between the PDC (WDC), the BDO, and the WDF (Tomlin Order).   The BDO recognized the PDC and agreed that all players shall have the freedom of choice as to which open events they wish to play in.   The PDC dropped its claim to be a world governing body, and accepted / recognized the WDF as the governing body for the Sport of Darts worldwide, and the BDO the governing body for darts in the U.K.   The stated purpose of this agreement was to promote the freedom of individual darts players to participate freely in open competition.

INTERPRETATION:

● The WDF does not make the rules governing eligibility in tournaments run by its member Darts Bodies.  That right is reserved to the Member Darts Body or its appointed organizer.

(Playing Rule 9.03 and Bye-Law #32)

● The WDF does control elegibility in WDF run darts events, e.g. Cup events.

(Playing Rule 9.04 and Bye-Law #31)

● Organizations e.g. PDC, PDPA and IDPA are recognized by the WDF and are within the jurisdiction of the WDF.  These organizations accept / recognize the WDF as the governing darts body worldwide, and the WDF recognizes them as organizations which represent the professional darts player.  The WDF does not restrict them from playing in tournaments run by Member Darts Bodies.

(Playing Rules 20.07 & 20.08 and Bye-Law #11: 7(a)(b) and Bye-Law #33)                            

In keeping with its position, as stated herein, the WDF Executive will attempt to purge, clarify and / or illustrate any confusing terminology contained in its Constitution, Playing Rules and / or Bye-Laws.   Should you have questions relating to this message, please feel free to contact any member of the WDF Executive Board.              

Monday 29th May 2006

HUNGARIAN OPEN RESULTS

The 2006 Hungarian Open was played at the weekend. The following results were received today. The WDF Ranking tables are fully updated.

Rachna David (Norway) and Veijo Viinikka (Finland)

HOUSTON OPEN 2006

The WDF has just received details for the 2006 WDF Ranked Houston Open. We apologise for the late publication of this document, but it was due to circumstances beyond our control. You can view the details in the WDF Tournament Calendar.

SCOTLAND ANNOUNCE THEIR TEAMS FOR THE WDF EUROPE CUP 2006

The teams are:

MEN

               Mike Veitch

               Gary Anderson

               Paul Hanvidge

               Paul McGimpsey

WOMEN

               Anne Kirk

               Louise Hepburn

TEAM MANAGER

               John Cook

WDF EUROPE CUP YOUTH 2006

The Netherlands have announced their team for the Europe Cup Youth, which will be played in Kalkar, Germany from 13th to 16th July.

BOYS TEAM

Sunday 28th May 2006

ASIA-PACIFIC CUP XIII AND MALAYSIAN OPEN 2006

The dates have now been announced for these two events, and they will be played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 19th - 24th September 2006 at the Grand Seasons Hotel. Full details of both events will be posted in the WDF Tournament Calendar within the next few days.

SCOTTISH SINGLES 2006

The 2006 Scottish Singles was played yesterday. Here are the results from the last 32.

 MEN                                                                                            WOMEN

Friday 26th May 2006

NEW ZEALAND OPEN 2006

The 2006 New Zealand Open will be held at Palmerston North on 9th August. Full details and entry form are now available for download in the WDF Calendar.

WDF EUROPE CUP YOUTH 2006

Wales have announced their teams for the WDF Europe Cup Youth, which will be played in Kalkar, Germany from 13th to 16th July.

Tuesday 23rd May 2006

WOMEN'S RANKING/INVITATION TABLES

WDF and BDO tables are now fully updated.

Monday 22nd May 2006

RANKING / INVITATION TABLES

All Ranking and Invitation Tables for men are now updated and online. The tables include the "Final Table" for the World Darts Trophy upon which invitations for September's event will be based.

The WDF and BDO Women's tables are not updated. I await clarification on one small detail, and will update as soon as information is received, probably tomorrow morning.

WELSH OPEN SINGLES RESULTS

Sunday 21st May 2006

WELSH OPEN 2006: MICHAEL VAN GERWEN DOES IT AGAIN

Seventeen year old Michael van Gerwen has done it again. This time he lifted the Welsh Open Singles title with a fine  2 sets to 0 win over BDO Nr. 1 and WDF World Nr. 2 Gary Anderson from Scotland. Michael's average for the final was 34.83. Joint third were Martin Atkins of England and Mark Webber of Wales. The previous day (Saturday) was also a good day for Michael when he partnered Women's World Nr. 2 Karin Krappen to victory in the Mixed pairs. It was an all Dutch final in the Youth Singles with Pascal van Mourik beating Ron Meulenkamp by 3 legs to 1.

The undisputed World Nr. 1 woman, England's Trina Gulliver won the women's event beating home favourite Julie Gore in the final.

Full results and updated Ranking / Invitation Tables will be available tomorrow.

Wednesday 17th May 2006

DARTS ON EUROSPORT

We have been informed that rumours are circulating concerning coverage of three WDF Open Tournaments. The tournaments concerned are the German Open, the Welsh Open, and the Swiss Open. It was indeed the wish of the WDF that these tournament should be televised, and they were indeed included on a list submitted to Eurosport for consideration as "possible events". Negotiations took place with the organisers of all three events, but at no time was any agreement reached, and no contracts were signed.

Agreement has now been reached between the WDF and Eurosport concerning the schedule of events for the remainder of 2006. The events to be covered are listed below and will be shown on British Eurosport and Eurosport 2 in Europe. The one exception will be the WDF Europe Cup 2006 which will be televised on British Eurosport and the Eurosport  main European channel which can be accessed by over 250 million viewers throughout Europe and other parts of the World.

As previously stated, the 2006 events are a trial project, which will be analysed by the WDF and Eurosport later this year. We are already preparing a package for next year, details of which will be announced in the Autumn.

The remaining events for 2006 are:

     The schedules quoted above may be subject to change.

Monday 15th May 2006

Sunday 14th May 2006

TOPIC INTERNATIONAL DARTS LEAGUE

Sven van Dun won the all Dutch final of the Bulit Youth IDL with a 6 legs to 4 victory over Pieter Collijn. In the senior event Raymond van Barneveld had an easy victory over Colin Lloyd. He won the best of 25 sets final decisively by 13 sets to five.

Friday 12th May 2006

TOPIC INTERNATIONAL DARTS LEAGUE

The schedule for Friday's (day six) Quarter-Finals will be:

Note: All the above times are CET

Streaming video link.....here

Thursday 11th May 2006

BDO TO PROTECT INTEGRITY OF THE SPORT WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH BOOKMAKERS

In addition to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)  which it already has in place with Betfair, the British Darts Organisation has now entered into a co-operation with the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) to promote and protect the integrity of the sport.

Following his attendance at the high-profile Betting Integrity Conference earlier this year, Olly Croft, Managing Director of BDO Enterprises Ltd, has subsequently met with representatives of the ABB to agree the co-operation in regard to betting on darts.

“The BDO is established as the governing body for the sport of darts in Britain with responsibility for, among other things, maintaining the integrity of the sport”, says Russ Phillips of the ABB. “We represent the interests of bookmakers in Great Britain, who also have an interest in the integrity of the sport of darts being maintained.

“This is why we are so delighted that there will now be a co-operation between the BDO and ABB to protect this integrity”.

The ABB will encourage its members to alert the BDO of any irregular or suspicious betting patterns on darts matches, and the BDO will do the same.

“As a responsible organisation with thousands of members, the BDO is more than happy to enter into an understanding like this. We were responsible for gaining recognition for darts as a bona-fide sport last June, and it is vitally important that we maintain its integrity at all times.

“Not only are we entering this initiative for the benefit of the BDO and its members, but also for the confidence of sponsors.  We are dealing with more and more on-line betting companies and, just like bookmakers, we recognise that it is essential for their customers to have full confidence when betting on any of our darts tournaments”.

Wednesday 10th May 2006

TOPIC INTERNATIONAL DARTS LEAGUE

Day five of the Topic International Darts League starts at 19.00 CET this evening. Some of the matches can be seen live worldwide on the video stream available at www.bluesq.com.  The streaming is scheduled to start at 18.55 BST and 19.55CET. We shall also be doing match by match updates.

17 year old Dutch prodigy Michael van Gerwen (left) and England Captain Martin Adams played one of the finest "short games" ever seen at the Topic IDL last night. Michael finally getting the better of Martin by 7 legs to 6 after a tiebreak deciding leg.    Michael averaged an incredible 35.95 points per dart, while Martin was only slightly lower at 35.63.      This is not the first time Michael has shown his capabilities in this tournament. He hit a 34.53 average when defeating Martin Atkins by 6 legs to 2 in the first series of Round Robin matches.

    Photograph courtesy of Robert Lusing, TOPIC IDL

MEDITERRANEAN CUP 2006

Results are just in from the Mediterranean Cup 2006. Italy took the Men's Cup and France won the Women's event. You can find all the details.....here

Tuesday 9th May 2006

STREAMING VIDEO FROM BLUE SQUARE WORKING AT 20.00 CET www.bluesq.com. They should be showing the next match after the current youth match about 20.30 CET.

TOPIC INTERNATIONAL DARTS LEAGUE

Day four of the International darts League continues at 19.00 CET today.

Monday 8th May 2006

WATCH IDL LIVE ON BLUE SQUARE???

Still NO video stream from SBS6 despite all the promises, please don't shoot the messenger.

TOPIC INTERNATIONAL DARTS LEAGUE

Day three of the International darts League continues at 19.00 CET today.

WATCH IDL LIVE ON BLUE SQUARE

Blue Square have informed us today that live play from the WDF/BDO ranked International Darts League will be 

available, exclusively and free to view  on Blue Square: www.bluesq.com from May 8th to 14th. 

Those wishing to watch will be required to submit their Credit Card details when registering, but we have been assured that the service is absolutely free.

Sunday 7th May 2006

SWEDEN  AND BELGIUM ANNOUNCE YOUTH TEAMS FOR EUROPE CUP YOUTH

Sweden and Belgium have announced their teams for the forthcoming Europe Cup Youth event which will be held in Kalkar, Germany 13 - 16 July.

Saturday 6th May 2006

WATCH IDL LIVE ON BLUE SQUARE

It would appear that the PR department at Blue Square have mislead us. Live IDL darts will not be available until the closing stages of the event, and then it will probably be for the UK only.

ENGLAND TEAMS FOR WDF EUROPE CUP YOUTH

England are pleased to announce their teams for the Europe Cup Youth to be played at Kernwasser Wunderland, Kalkar, Germany from July 13^th to 16th:

          BOYS:

          ROSS SMITH (Kent)

          RICHARD GEORGE (Essex)

          RICKY EVANS (Northants)

          DAVID PALLETT (Shropshire)

          GIRLS:

          HARRIET WOLTON (Suffolk)

          KELLY HAMMOND (Sussex)

BDO YOUNG PLAYERS OF THE YEAR 2006

Continuing its focus on youth, the British Darts Organisation has named its two Young Players of The Year for 2006:

KIRK SHEPHERD (Kent) who played 9 county games throughout the 2005/2006 season and won 8 of them with an overall average of 36.34.

REBECCA ROSE (Cambs) played 10 county games and won 7 with an overall average of 25.95.

The BDO is also delighted to announce that its recently launched 18 to 25 Darts Challenge has attracted well over 400 entries.

This brand new initiative for the 18 to 25 age group provides opportunities for the winner to gain entry into the 2006 Winmau World Masters and also be invited to the International Play-Offs for the 2007 Lakeside World Professional Darts Championships.

“We have always prided ourselves on our youth systems”, says Olly Croft. “They have consistently provided young players with a platform to progress from county right through to national, international, world and professional levels.

“We have also tapped into a rich source of talent in the 18 to 25 age group, and it gives me great pleasure to see so many entries for the first ever 18 to 25 Darts Challenge”.

Thursday 4th May 2006

WATCH IDL LIVE ON BLUE SQUARE

Live play from the WDF/BDO ranked International Darts League will be available, exclusively and free to 

view  on Blue Square: www.bluesq.com from May 6th to 14th.

To watch any match in the week long BDO/WDF Grand Slam tournament go to http://www.bluesq.com and 

register  on site and then click on the Blue Sq TV button.  A menu will indicate darts and a full schedule of 

games will appear.

“We are delighted to be showing the IDL exclusively on our website”, says Richard Bloch, PR Manager of 

Blue Square. “Other than coverage by host broadcaster SBS-6 in The Netherlands, there is nowhere else 

that this hugely popular Dutch-based darts tournament can be seen. No money is required or needs to be 

deposited. It is totally free to view”.

Tuesday 2nd May 2006

SANDRA AND SHAUN KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY

A rare mother and son "darting double" occured at the BDO May Day Festival of Darts when Sandra Greatbatch won the 2006 Women’s Singles title and her son Shaun was crowned 2006 Men’s Singles Champion.      The BDO May Day Festival  attracted over 1200 darts players and their families.

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