Darts player brings insect spray on stage as wasps wreak havoc at worlds

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The World Darts Championship stage has been plagued by an unexpected adversary: wasps, prompting one competitor to take matters into his own hands.

Ahead of his first-round match on Tuesday, Jurjen van der Velde caused a stir at Alexandra Palace in north London. The Dutchman pulled the insect repellent from his pocket, liberally spraying the air and himself, much to the crowd’s amusement.

Later, Van der Velde was observed wiping his face with a cloth. Tournament organizer, the Professional Darts Corporation, later questioned on X whether the player was “emotional or has sprayed bug spray in his eyes.”

In all-Dutch match, Van der Velde went on to lose 3-1 to Danny Noppert.

Wasps have been interfering with players during the opening days of the worlds, affecting their throws and post-match interviews. One player, Nitin Kumar, even struck a wasp with his dart mid-flight on Sunday.