The darts world has been left reeling after a sensational cheating scandal involving teenage sensation Luke Littler, but veteran star Rob Cross insists he is far from shocked.
Speaking exclusively to the press ahead of his quarter-final clash at the PDC World Championship, the 2018 world champion broke his silence on what he described as the “tip of the iceberg” regarding alleged misconduct during Littler’s previous round.
Littler, 17, has been accused of a deliberate gamesmanship breach during his nail-biting victory over Andrew Gilding. Footage circulating on social media appears to show the youngster hovering his hand over the bullseye while retrieving his darts—a move some referees deem a psychological tactic intended to block an opponent’s line of sight.
But while the darts hierarchy considers a formal investigation, Cross delivered a damning indictment of the sport’s culture.
“Am I surprised? No,” Cross told reporters, shaking his head. “Not surprised. The game’s always been rigged. It’s not just the youngsters—it’s been going on for years. People just don’t want to see it because they like the fairytale.”
Cross, known affectionately as ‘Voltage’, stopped short of directly accusing Littler of intentional foul play but suggested that institutional blind spots have allowed sharp practice to thrive.
“When you’re the golden boy, you get away with things that others don’t,” he added. “It’s not personal against Luke. He’s an incredible talent. But let’s call it what it is. We’ve all been on the receiving end of it, and we all know the score.”
Littler, who has taken the sport by storm with his precocious talent and cool demeanour, has yet to issue a formal statement. His management team has dismissed the allegations as “nonsense and sour grapes.”
The controversy has split the darts community. Some former professionals have leapt to Littler’s defence, arguing that the gesture was innocent and that rival players are simply unable to handle the rise of a new star. Others, however, claim the incident exposes a wider culture of gamesmanship that the PDC has been too slow to address.
“It’s the elephant in the room,” said one former world title contender, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Rob’s just said what everyone backstage whispers in the bar after a few pints.”
The PDC has confirmed it will review the footage, though insiders suggest the governing body is reluctant to sanction a player who has reinvigorated the sport’s profile and attracted a new generation of fans.
Cross, meanwhile, remains focused on his own path to the trophy—but he made clear that, for him, this is about more than one incident.
“I love this sport. I’ve given everything to it. But I’m not naive. The game’s always been rigged,” he said. “Maybe now people will start paying attention.”