‘Could have called’ – Ex-world champion responds after controversial darts snub

Darts legend Keith Deller has questioned the World Seniors Darts after being overlooked for this year's World Championship.

The 2025 tournament got underway on Wednesday at the iconic Circus Tavern, with this the first since the tour lowered its minimum entry age from 45 to 50.

Among those competing this year are three-time former world champion John Part, as well as PDC Tour familiar face John Henderson and previous BDO World Championship runner-up Tony O'Shea.

And while the decision to open up the competition to younger participants may have increased the pool of players, it has also led to some feeling frozen out.

This includes one of darts' iconic names, with 1983 BDO World Champion Keith Deller questioning the move.

Deller was just 23-years-old when he won the World Darts Championship in 1983, beating the legendary Eric Bristow in a major upset in the final.

He took part in early World Seniors events after the tour was launched, but was not invited to this year's World Championship.

There briefly appeared to be an opening for the 65-year-old in the draw when Vincent van der Voort withdrew for medical reasons.

However, when it was suggested to Deller on X that he could take his place, he revealed he had not been approached by the competition's organisers.

He replied to a fan: "Not asked. Could have called me yesterday as it was evening tonight.

"One of the originals who got this off the ground and a former world champion."

Instead of drafting in a replacement, Van der Voort's scheduled opponent, Neil Duff, was given a bye into the last 16.

And Deller was not the only darts figure to call the World Seniors tour into question.

At 63, O'Shea is one of the oldest players at this year's tournament, and cast doubt over the new age criteria following his first-round victory over Lisa Ashton.

Speaking to Online Darts, he said: “I think it’s just Martin Adams [who is 68] who is older than me in the field. It’s harder.

“They’ve changed the rules to get more younger players in. 45, for me, is not really a senior. Maybe they’ll bring in a ‘super seniors’ for us 60-pluses. It might be a level playing field.”

Despite this, O'Shea admitted that the inclusion of younger players had improved the standard of competition.

'Silverback' continued: “Some of the lads who’ve come in, it’s great for the seniors tour, it’s great for these games. They’re still good enough to win Pro Tour [PDC] events. 

“It’s great to see such great players in the event. The World Seniors is only going to get stronger and stronger.”

And Deller was quick to pick up on O'Shea's questioning of the recent change, as he replied to footage of the interview to suggest rebranding the tour.

In a separate X post, wrote: "Tony 100 per cent right, maybe they will change it with the word seniors not in it.

"If they want 45 and over in to get younger players, then fine but may be just change it to something like champions tour."

The lowering of the age limit was part of a wider revamp, which saw the tour renamed World Seniors Darts instead of the World Seniors Tour.

After announcing the move in November, the WSD said: "We believe this change will allow us to invite new players to TV tournaments, as well as giving any player aged 45 or over on 31st January 2025 the chance to make it to the TV stages of all future World Seniors Darts tournaments."