Mike De Decker’s journey in the 2024 Grand Slam of Darts ended in heartbreak after a narrow 10-9 defeat to eventual tournament champion Luke Littler in the second round. The 28-year-old Belgian looked poised for victory, but the Wolverhampton crowd’s disruptive whistling proved a game-changer.
Frustration with the Crowd
De Decker was visibly unsettled by the whistling and turned to referee Kirk Bevins for help. Despite De Decker’s request, Bevins made minimal efforts to address the situation, merely saying “Thank you” to the crowd on one occasion.
Vincent Van der Voort, a former Grand Slam qualifier, criticized the referee’s handling of the situation on the podcast Darts Draait Door. “When Mike asks the referee to take action, and nothing is done, that’s a mistake,” Van der Voort said. “The referee should give the player the choice of how to handle it, not decide to stay quiet because he’s afraid it could make things worse.”
Should Disruptive Fans Be Removed?
Van der Voort believes expelling disruptive fans could be an effective solution, though he admits it’s not always simple. “It’s hard to single out the culprits in a large audience,” he explained. “Mike was leading the match, so stopping play could have disrupted his rhythm. But once Littler started his comeback, any complaints from De Decker would’ve been seen as excuses.”
Past Incidents and Solutions
Crowd interference has long been a controversial issue in darts. Gerwyn Price famously wore headphones during his match against Gabriel Clemens at the World Darts Championship to block out distractions.
Gian van Veen, another Grand Slam participant, expressed frustration over how often modern darts matches are affected by the crowd. “Unfortunately, this is just part of sports. You can’t completely prevent it,” he said. Van der Voort agreed, adding, “Someone could be quiet all match and only disrupt play at the end. By the time security gets involved, it’s already too late.”
The Role of the Referee
Van der Voort pointed out that stricter referees like George Noble handle such situations better. “Noble doesn’t hesitate to involve security and remove troublemakers,” he noted.
Interestingly, Van der Voort added that Belgium remains one of the few places where crowd behavior is consistently respectful. “It happens everywhere else, even in the Netherlands. Belgium seems to be the exception.”
Looking Ahead
Despite the crowd controversy, Luke Littler continued his remarkable run to claim the Grand Slam title. For Mike De Decker, the loss raises questions about how officials and players can handle disruptive fans in the future to ensure fair competition on the oche.
Ben Evans is a passionate darts writer with a keen eye for statistics and news. With years of experience following the PDC scene, Ben brings in-depth coverage of tournaments, player performances, and emerging dart trends. Known for his detailed analysis and love for the game, he keeps fans updated with the latest stats, match insights, and memorable moments. When he’s not covering the action on the oche, Ben enjoys a game of darts, staying sharp on the sport he loves.