The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has enacted an emergency ban on all pre-match handshakes, effective immediately, following disturbing reports that multiple players have been covertly coating their palms with viscous, “slimy” substances to gain a competitive edge.
The ruling, which was circulated to tour card holders in a memo early this morning, outlaws the traditional “game on” greeting. Players are now instructed to acknowledge their opponent solely with a nod or a verbal salutation from a distance of at least two meters.
The decision comes after a closed-door PDC disciplinary hearing last night, prompted by complaints from senior players who alleged that rivals were using the ritual to compromise their opponents’ grip, concentration, and dart release.
“To be blunt, it’s cheating of the most repulsive kind,” said PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter in an official statement. “We have received credible testimony and physical evidence that certain individuals are applying substances such as lotions, glycerin gels, and even a diluted mixture of fish oil and cornstarch to their palms prior to the walk-on. The objective is to leave a residue on the opponent’s fingers, destroying the micro-texture of their darts.”
One top-16 player, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the experience as “wrestling with a wet bar of soap.”
“You go to shake hands, and your palm comes away feeling like you’ve just grabbed a frog. By the third leg, your darts are slipping out of your hand like eels. You can’t get a consistent release, and you start overcompensating with your grip pressure. It’s psychological warfare played through mucus,” he told our correspondent.
The PDC’s investigation was reportedly triggered by slow-motion television footage from the recent World Matchplay, which appeared to show one player covertly wiping his hand against the side of his trousers after the handshake—not before—suggesting he was trying to remove a substance he had just received, rather than sweat.
While the PDC rules already prohibit the use of foreign substances on darts or hands during play, the pre-match handshake existed in a grey area. This new regulation closes that loophole definitively.
Reaction from the players’ room has been mixed. Veteran star Raymond van Barneveld praised the move, calling it “a victory for clean sport.” However, outspoken competitor Gerwyn Price questioned the enforcement, joking, “How are they going to police it? Are they going to bring in a hand-sniffing dog?”
For now, the handshake is dead. From tonight’s evening session at the Players Championship events, players will simply tap their own flight barrels and point at the board. The PDC has confirmed that any player who attempts to initiate physical contact before the final dart is thrown will face a hefty fine and potential suspension.
“Trust has been broken,” Porter added. “Until we can guarantee that a handshake is a gesture of sportsmanship rather than a biological weapon, the nod will have to do.”