Dom Taylor was expelled from the World Darts Championship tournament after failing a drug test.
Taylor defeated Sweden’s Oskar Lukasiak 3-0 in the first round and was scheduled to face Johnny Clayton on Saturday night, but the Welshman advanced to the third round with a walkover.
The 27-year-old British player was given a one-month ban earlier this year after failing a drug test at the Players Championship final in November 2024, and this is Taylor’s second offence.
Players will be randomly tested during the World Championship at Alexandra Palace.
The Darts Regulation Authority, the governing body for the Professional Darts Corporation, issued a statement saying: “On December 19th, the DRA was informed of an adverse analysis of player Dom Taylor following an examination conducted on December 14th.
“As a result, and in accordance with DRA’s relevant processes, Dom Taylor has been suspended from participating in DRA-regulated events with immediate effect.
“This matter will now be the subject of a disciplinary proceeding consistent with the relevant DRA Anti-Doping Rules. DRA will have no further comment pending the outcome of this confidential proceeding.”
Taylor won the PDC’s second-tier Challenger Tour in 2023, earning him a PDC Tour card for 2024.
He has competed throughout the year, most notably at the Players Championship event, where he reached the semifinals twice in closed-door events.
However, he was suspended in January, initially for two years for using a banned substance, but this was reduced to three months as the drug did not enhance performance.
Taylor was No. 65 in the PDC rankings entering the tournament
This was reduced to one month after Taylor agreed to a UKAD-approved three-month abusive substance treatment programme.
Asked about the suspension after his first-round win, Taylor said: “It’s the biggest disappointment of my life. But I bounced back and I’m here.”
When asked how he prepares himself mentally, he added, “I don’t talk to anyone, I keep myself to myself, and I practice.”
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