In a stunning and somber press conference this morning, former BDO World Champion and current PDC Tour Card holder Stephen Bunting announced his immediate retirement from professional darts. The 39-year-old fan favorite, known for his iconic walk-on to “Fight Song” and his fast, accurate throwing style, did not hold back on his reasoning, alleging deep-rooted corruption within the sport’s governing bodies as the sole factor behind his decision.
Bunting, fighting back tears, told a packed room of reporters that the decision was “the hardest of my life” but that he could no longer compete in an environment he described as “rotten to the core.”
“I didn’t lose my nerve. I didn’t lose my throw. I lost my faith,” Bunting said. “For the last 18 months, I have witnessed and been subjected to backroom deals, result-fixing whispers that went uninvestigated, and a complete lack of integrity from officials who are supposed to protect the players. The corruption has won. I cannot be part of this charade any longer.”
The “Bullet” did not immediately present hard documentary evidence during the brief statement but promised a forthcoming tell-all interview. He specifically claimed that a “senior figure” in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) pressured him to lose a televised quarter-final match earlier this year in exchange for a guaranteed spot in a subsequent major tournament—a claim the PDC has since vehemently denied.
“I turned it down, and I’ve been frozen out ever since,” Bunting alleged. “Wildcard entries mysteriously vanish, draw rigging is blatant, and when you speak up, they label you a troublemaker.”
The reaction from the darts world was immediate and polarized. Fans at the press conference audibly gasped, while social media exploded with the hashtags #StandWithBunting and #DartsCorruption.
However, fellow professionals were quick to distance themselves from the claims. World Champion Luke Humphries called the allegations “bizarre and damaging,” while Michael van Gerwen suggested Bunting may be struggling with the pressure of the tour rather than institutional corruption.
The PDC released a terse statement: “We have reviewed Stephen’s claims. They are entirely baseless. There is no evidence of corruption, match-fixing, or draw-rigging within the PDC. We are saddened by his retirement but will not tolerate unfounded attacks on the integrity of our organization and players.”
Bunting, who has earned over £1.2 million in prize money and has been a stalwart in the world’s top 32 for nearly a decade, ended his farewell by throwing three final darts into a board—all landing in the triple 20—before walking off stage without taking questions.
“The only bullseye here is the one the sport has put in its own back,” he said before disappearing behind the curtain.
