BREAKING NEWS: “Eight-year ban is harsh” – James Wade pleads for second chance for fallen top talent Leighton Bennett

James Wade is about to start his 23rd consecutive World Championship (2x BDO, 20x PDC). The 41-year-old is the 16th seed and will play the winner of the first-round clash between Jermaine Wattimena and Stephane Bellmont in his opening match.

“It’s been over a week since the World Cup draw and I still don’t know who I’m going to face in the first round,” Wade said in his monthly column on Daily Star. “It’s a bit superstitious for me before big tournaments not to know who I’m playing, and so be it.”

“I could have taken every precaution to not find out—lock myself in the house, go offline, and avoid all the new sports channels—but I didn’t because deep down I know it really is” so bad if I will find out who I should play…”

“It’s become a bit of a game with myself, to be honest, and if it helps me prepare better for the World Cup, then that can only be a good thing. So, how was the training? I’ve been slowly building up the hours of training this week and trying to make sure I don’t have too many events that can distract me.”

Wade also touched on the eight-year match-fixing ban for fellow darts player Leighton Bennett. “I haven’t avoided the sports news channels, so I’m aware of Leighton Bennett’s eight-year ban by the Darts Regulatory Authority for match-fixing.

“Now I don’t know all the details, but Leighton was found guilty and he should be punished. However, I just find the eight year ban harsh.

“With this ban at the age of just 18, his professional darts career was effectively over. He went from being a darts prodigy to losing everything because of a bad decision. I don’t know Leighton personally, but I hope there is a duty of care in place and someone is watching out for him.

“I know he fell out with his manager last year and if he was given bad advice or left to make those bad decisions, then certainly there should be an opportunity for rehabilitation.

“This happens in other sports like athletics and boxing where they impose a two or three year ban and give the person one last chance to make it right. He has dedicated his whole life to darts and it is a shame that he is not going to get another opportunity to do so.

“As for me, I’ll keep practicing and then on Friday I’ll go to Manchester for one final exhibition event before the World Cup and when I face my first opponent of the year. I wonder who it could be?”