James Wade 'asking for trouble' and 'may get punished' as darts rival digs him out

James Wade should be punished by the PDC for 'fart-gate', according to one former rival. The Machine hit the headlines earlier this month when his match against Peter Wright at a Players Championship event was halted after Wade let rip on stage.

It wasn't the first time Wade's passing of gas had disrupted proceedings in a darts match, with the World Championship semi-finalist having also farted during a game against Callan Rydz last year. Despite being waved off by some, others haven't taken too well to Wade's disruptive bowel movements, with Vincent van der Voort calling on the sport's governing body to intervene.

Speaking on the Darts Draait Door podcast, the Dutchman said: "It would be right if he gets punished now. To do something like that twice? Then you're just playing with it - you're asking for trouble. It made me laugh, but it's hardly a great advert for the sport. Not that Wade cares - what a character."

Wade has been famed for his at-times peculiar antics on stage. Earlier this year, the former World Matchplay champion was in the spotlight after he appeared to lick the neck of world No.1 Luke Humphries during their UK Open meeting.

Unhappy with the stunt, Humphries shoulder barged Wade in the aftermath and later took to social media to explain his frustration. He said: "Everyone loves to see people be a bad loser but I'm generally one of the best losers in the sport. I wasn't going to give someone who didn't deserve my respect after what he was doing through the game a hug and be all happy about it, that's just my honesty."

Just days later, Wade once again got up close and personal with a fellow player, this time giving Raymond van Barneveld a kiss on the cheek at the Belgian Darts Open. Unlike Humphries, Van Barneveld laughed off the interaction, with the Dutchman no doubt used to Wade's quirks following years of playing against each other.

Humphries won't have to worry about Wade this weekend at the US Darts Masters, with Cool Hand making a winning start against Stowe Buntz. Luke Littler, Damon Heta and Gerwyn Price were among the victors from the first round of action in New York. Littler will come up against good friend Nathan Aspinall in the next round, while Humphries faces Danny Lauby, who secured a shock 6-0 victory over Rob Cross.