LEGEND Raymond van Barneveld could be on the verge of taking a “step back” from the sport.
The five-time World Champion hit a new low in his clash against Alan Soutar at the Austrian Darts Open a week ago.
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Iconic darts player Raymond van Barneveld might take another break from the sport Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
He has not played well recently – producing career-low averages Credit: Getty
Van Barneveld, 59, lost 6-2 and delivered an out-of-character low average of just 77.79. He had never thrown this badly at a Euro Tour event before.
Close friend and former UK Open finalist Vincent van der Voort is concerned about his highly-decorated fellow countryman.
He told the Darts Draait Door podcast: “You keep thinking it can’t get worse, but he keeps losing all the time. I messaged him briefly on WhatsApp and you can tell he’s really struggling.”
Barney retired in 2020, leaving the sport after a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Darin Young in the World Championship. But he came back to regain his PDC Tour Card at the 2021 Q-School.
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However, Van der Voort revealed that Barney is now considering taking a temporary break from the sport.
He added: “He’s thinking about taking a step back for a while, because this way it really makes no sense anymore. I really feel for him. I’ve known him for 35 years.”
Van der Voort believes the defeat to Scot Soutar in Graz was another sign of his decline.
He added: “If people told me Raymond was averaging in the 70s, I’d say: ‘No way, that can’t be’. He really shouldn’t want this for himself.
Barney returned to the sport a year after retiring in 2020 Credit: Getty
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“A few years ago we would never have expected this. I always thought he had so much talent that he could still compete on autopilot. But you see that even such champions can fall through the floor.”
Since Barney’s return in 2021 he has appeared in five World Championships, with his best effort being in 2024 when he reached the fourth round.
The new kid on the block Luke Littler swept him aside 4-1.
Van Barneveld’s latest set-back comes after the sudden death of a good friend earlier in the month.
He announced on Instagram that his mate, Ralph Rademacher, had passed away at the age of 58.
He revealed he was in mourning following the shock.
