Former PDC professional Vincent van der Voort has revealed he regularly receives bizarre messages on social media, but even he was taken aback by a recent request from a student in Rotterdam. During the podcast 'Darts Draait Door', a question submitted via Instagram was read out, in which a student explained he needed a professional to throw a dart into his backside as part of a task to earn a coveted tie from his student association.
Van der Voort did not hesitate in his response. “No, I’m not going to do that,” he said firmly. When it was suggested he could throw the dart especially hard, his answer remained unchanged: “No, I’m not going to do that. It also hurts, I have to say.” The Dutchman also highlighted the health risks, noting, “There are quite a lot of bacteria on a dartboard as well. That can’t be good for you,” adding with a laugh that a tetanus shot would likely be needed immediately.
The bizarre request led Van der Voort to question what students will do for their ties. “But what do students actually do to earn a tie?” he wondered. His advice to anyone approaching him with such a request was clear: “If someone said that to me, I’d say: then just keep that thing. Do me a favour.”
Van der Voort also revealed that Michael van Gerwen receives similarly striking messages, with women regularly offering themselves in his Instagram inbox. However, Van der Voort stressed, “Michael gets one woman after another offering herself in his Instagram. But he doesn’t do anything with it, to be clear.” In contrast, Van der Voort said his own inbox is filled with requests of a different kind, such as asking him to do a voiceover for an adult film at Meiden van Holland, or now, to throw a dart into someone’s backside. “What is all that about, man?” he added with a wink.
The anecdote highlights how directly accessible darts professionals have become via social media, leading to both good-natured interaction and requests that even a seasoned pro like Van der Voort cannot accommodate. For the student in question, Van der Voort’s verdict was final: “Then you just keep that tie.”
