Belgian darts star Mike De Decker has found himself in hot water after declining an invitation to the Dutch Darts Masters and making comments that were perceived as insulting to the Netherlands.
The 29-year-old, who had a breakthrough year in 2024 by winning the World Grand Prix, was offered a spot at the tournament in 's-Hertogenbosch as a consolation after missing out on a Premier League invitation.
De Decker turned down the invite, citing travel from Dubai for a holiday as his reason.
However, it was his explanation that sparked controversy, with the Belgian suggesting the Netherlands was "the last place you'd want to go" for a World Series event.
Belgian darts star Mike De Decker has found himself in hot water after declining an invitation to the Dutch Darts Masters and making comments that were perceived as insulting to the Netherlands
PA
De Decker's comments were particularly pointed about the location choice for the World Series event.
"The World Series isn't really a tournament I was looking forward to, and definitely not the one in the Netherlands," he said.
The Belgian went further, stating: "If you get invited, you want it to be for an event in Bahrain or Australia somewhere exciting."
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His most controversial remark came when he added: "Of all the places they hold these tournaments, 's-Hertogenbosch is the last place you'd want to go."
These comments quickly drew criticism from Dutch fans and the wider darts community.
The backlash prompted De Decker to address the situation publicly.
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Appearing on the Double Top podcast, De Decker acknowledged he needed to be more careful with his words.
"I got quite a few messages asking why I have something against the Netherlands, but that's not the case at all. I never said I don't like the World Series of Darts," he explained.
The Belgian admitted: "I probably need to learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes."
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De Decker then reiterated his point about prestigious locations, saying: "When you think of the World Series of Darts, you dream of playing in Bahrain or Australia—not in the Netherlands."
Despite the controversy, the Belgian has continued to perform well on the oche.
Earlier this month, he reached the final of the Belgian Darts Open on home soil.
Darts star Mike De Decker had been expected to be involved in the Premier League after impressing in 2024
PA
His run to the final included impressive victories over world number one Luke Humphries and former world champion Gerwyn Price.
However, De Decker ultimately fell short in the final, losing to Luke Litter.
The Belgian currently sits at number 21 in the world rankings.
