Dom Taylor has been suspended from the World Darts Championship after the Englishman failed a drugs test, the Darts Regulation Authority [DRA] said.
The 27-year-old beat Sweden's Oskar Lukasiak in the first round of the tournament on Sunday 14 December but produced an “adverse analytical finding” that same day, the DRA said.
Taylor was due to play Jonny Clayton in the second round but the DRA said on Friday that he was been suspended from all events with immediate effect. Clayton will now advance to the third round.
Taylor was also suspended from last year’s Players Championship Finals before facing Michael Smith in his first-round match after he “returned a positive sample for a banned substance” at an earlier event, the DRA said.
Taylor was given a two-year suspension, later reduced to three months after it was ruled the substance was not performance enhancing and then one month after agreeing to take part in a UK Anti-Doping treatment programme.
After his first-round win at Alexander Palace, Taylor also spoke about how grateful he was to play at the World Championship and described his previous drugs ban as the “biggest let down of my life”.
“I've rebounded back, and here we are,” he said following his 3-0 win over Lukasiak to reach the second round.
“On 19 December, the DRA was notified of an adverse analytical finding in respect of the player Dom Taylor resulting from a test conducted on 14 December,” a statement said.
“As a result of this and in line with relevant DRA processes, Dom Taylor has been suspended from participating in any DRA regulated events with immediate effect.
“This matter will now be the subject of a disciplinary process in line with the relevant DRA Anti-Doping Rules. The DRA will not be making any further comment pending the outcome of this confidential process.”
