UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Britain’s Dom Taylor has been suspended from the World Darts Championship after failing a drug test, handing Jonny Clayton a walkover, the DRA said.
Taylor produced an unfavorable analytical result from a test carried out on December 14, the day before the tournament began at Alexandra Palace, according to the DRA, the Professional Darts Corporation’s (PDC) regulatory body.
“As a result of this and in line with relevant DRA processes, Dom Taylor has been suspended from participating in any DRA regulated events with immediate effect,”
the DRA said in a statement.
“This matter will now be the subject of a disciplinary process in line with the relevant DRA Anti-Doping Rules.”
After defeating Oskar Lukasiak to go to the second round, Taylor was supposed to take on Clayton, who will now advance to the third round bye. This ban is Taylor’s second drug test failure. For failing a drug test in January, the DRA banned him for a month.
He missed the World Championship as a result of that suspense, which passed during the Players Championship Tests. Due to the fact that the chemical was n’t performance- enhancing, his two- time term was docked.
Josh Rock, meanwhile, crushed Gemma Hayter 3- 1 and secured his spot in the alternate round at Alexandra Palace after surviving a brief dread. After an inconceivable 2025 season, the Northern Irishman was hailed by many as a favorite to win the title. He fluently took a two- set lead until Hayter took control of the third set and pushed him to the point as she pushed for equality in the fourth.
Rock, who won the 2025 World Cup with Daryl Gurney, missed ten brickbats at doubles in a poor first set but sounded to have overcome his early anxiety as he fluently won the alternate.
Still, Hayter, who qualified by placing fifth on the 2025 Women’s Series order of merit, took charge of the third set and fought to a decisive leg in the fourth until Rock eventually completed the match with an 81 checkout.
After defeating fellow Northern Irishman, Mickey Mansell, 3-2, American showman Lenny Gates joined Rock in the second round. Mansell won a lengthy 33-dart leg to win the first leg of the fourth set, but he was powerless to stop Gates from dancing to a well-received victory even though he forced the match into a decider.
While Dutchman Kevin Doets overcame a set deficit to upset Matthew Dennant 3-1, Ryan Meikle easily defeated Argentina’s Jesus Salate 3-0.
What disciplinary steps will the DRA take next?
Dom Taylor faces a formal correctional hail by the brickbats Regulation Authority( DRA) under its anti-doping rules following his alternate failed test.
The DRA will convene an independent panel to review substantiation, hear Taylor’s defense (likely claiming perpetration improvement as ahead), and determine warrants like a longer suspense, forfeitures, or stint card cancellation ; a decision generally follows within weeks, with appeal rights to the DRA Appeals Committee.
His previous one- month ban (January 2025 for a November 2024 violation) sets the environment for escalation, potentially barring him from 2026 events including the Worlds; Jonny Clayton advances automatically pending the outgrowth.