Darts Regulation Authority Disciplinary Committee Hearing
Thursday 25th March 2010
The Disciplinary Committee made determinations that:
Mensur Suljovic at the Pro Tour Event, Gladbeck, Germany on Saturday 6th March 2010
i) failed to mark a game when it was his duty to do so in accordance with the rules of the said championship and
ii) acted in a manner which may reasonably be considered to bring the game of darts into disrepute viz uttering distressing and wholly inappropriate comments to a fellow player at the tournament venue (Contrary to Section 4.1 of the DRA Code of Conduct;)
Mr Suljovic was fined £100 for the first offence and fined £400 for the second offence
Comment: The DRA Disciplinary Committee takes a serious view of players using wholly inappropriate comments to other players or members of the public. The Committee believes that it was only the actions of others that this situation did not develop into something more serious. The DRA thanks those players and officials who acted in a very professional manner at the venue to calm the incident.
Jann Hoffmann at the Pro Tour Event, Gladbeck, Germany on the weekend of 6th/7th March 2010 failed to mark a game when it was his duty to do so in accordance with the rules of the said championship.
Mr Hoffmann was fined £100
Andree Welge at the Pro Tour Event, Gladbeck, Germany on the weekend of 6th/7th March 2010 failed to mark a game when it was his duty to do so in accordance with the rules of the said championship.
Mr Wegle was fined £100
Stuart Bousfield at the Pro Tour Event, Gladbeck, Germany on the weekend of 6th/7th March 2010failed to mark a game when it was his duty to do so in accordance with the rules of the said championship.
Mr Bousfield was fined £100
Tony Eccles at the Pro Tour Event, Gladbeck, Germany on the weekend of 6th/7th March 2010 failed to mark a game when it was his duty to do so in accordance with the rules of the said championship.
Mr Eccles was fined £100
Comment The DRA Council wishes to remind all players of the revised guidelines for penalties for ‘failing to mark’ formulated at its meeting on 17th April 2009. It is essential for the efficient running of tournaments that players take individual responsibility for their duty to mark. Constant failure to mark games may render a player liable to be charged with bringing the game into disrepute (contrary to Section 4.1 of the Code of Conduct, DRA Rule Book January 2009) and imposition of a suspension from DRA sanctioned tournaments will be seriously considered by the DRA Disciplinary Committee.
The DRA Council increased the penalty guidelines for the offence of failing to mark (effective for offences committed from 20th April 2009);
1st Offence - £100
2nd Offence - £200
3rd Offence - £400
4th Offence – consideration of suspension.
Steve Maish at the German Darts Championship, Halle, Germany on 29th November 2009
threw his darts into a dustbin at the rear of the concourse in which matches were being played in a manner that attracted the attention of people at the venue and may have distracted players on nearby boards.
Mr Maish was fined £50.
Robert Thornton at the Players Championship, Gibraltar on 7th February 2010 outside the sports centre venue was in possession of a bottle with an optic attached. This behaviour occurred in front of two representatives of tournament sponsors and therefore could be considered to be behaviour likely to bring the game of darts into disrepute.
Mr Thornton was issued with a formal warning.
Right of Appeal
Anyone affected by a determination of the DRA Disciplinary Committee has a Right of Appeal in accordance with Rule 6.8(a) of the DRA Official Rule Book. Such an appeal must be made within 14 days of the person being served with a notice of sanction.
NB All money raised from players’ fines is used to support the DRA Drug Testing Programme.