Darts ace claims that ’70 per cent of players are alcoholics’ and one with liver cirrhosis kept drinking to keep ranking
A DARTS ace has claimed that “70 per cent of players are alcoholics” and one with liver cirrhosis kept drinking to keep their ranking.
German player Jochen Graudenz made the bold claims in a recent interview.
Graudenz, who competes on the Challenge Tour, has also had success on the Swiss Darts Coporation Tour.
He is currently ranked 181st in the PDC Challenger Order of Merit and was at Q School earlier this year.
However, it is his recent comments that have caused more of a stir than his skills on the oche.
In an interview with dartsnews.de, Graudenz suggested his decision not to drink alcohol may have helped his playing ability.
He claimed: “Darts is an unfair sport. If you want to reach the top you have 70 per cent of the top stars who are alcoholics.
“Darts is 95 per cent [in the] head. When you play at home in your familiar environment you play great darts.
“When you go to a tournament you probably don’t play great darts anymore because: ‘Everything is strange here, I’m nervous, I’m playing against someone’.
“And what’s the best way to solve that problem? By just getting drunk. And I absolutely can’t deal with that.
“There’s a good player and the young guy sees that he drinks. What does the young guy do sooner or later? He drinks too. Because he thinks it will make him better.
“That’s certainly true in the short term, but the problem is that it affects your health. At some point it goes downhill physically.”
Graudenz also alleged that one player had stopped drinking due to liver cirrhosis, only to start again when their ranking dropped.
Players have previously spoken openly about their struggles with alcohol, including cult hero Andy Fordham.
The Viking enjoyed another 14 years of life after giving up booze following a plea from his wife.
Prior to his death in 2021, he had blamed his health issues on his previous heavy drinking habit.
Fordham had been hospitalised after a blockage of his bowels a year before he passed away from major organ failure aged 59.
Meanwhile, Adrian Lewis attributed his decision to stop drinking with turning his life around.
Jackpot had considered quitting darts in 2019 before turning his back on alcohol.
He also recognised the significance of following Tyson Fury’s home workouts during lockdown.