STWF Sports | Dec. 19, 2025 – The PDC World Darts Championship was rocked on Thursday after 27-year-old debutant Dom Taylor was sensationally disqualified from the tournament following an adverse analytical finding from a drug test conducted after his first-round victory. Taylor, who had impressed fans and pundits with a commanding 3–0 win over Oskar Lukasiak on December 14, has now been suspended with immediate effect under Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) protocols.

The news, confirmed in a formal DRA statement, removes Taylor from the draw entirely and hands his scheduled second-round opponent, fifth seed Jonny Clayton, an automatic bye into the last 32.

A Dream Debut Turns Into a Nightmare

Taylor’s 3–0 win over Lukasiak had been one of the brighter storylines of the early tournament. Showcasing three ton-plus checkouts, “The Tower” appeared poised for a breakthrough moment on darts’ biggest stage after years of setbacks.

But on December 19, the DRA notified the PDC that Taylor had returned an adverse result from the in-competition test conducted five days earlier. Within hours, he was removed from the championship and barred from all DRA-sanctioned events pending disciplinary proceedings.

The DRA’s statement was clinical and direct:

“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… The DRA will not be making any further comment pending the outcome of this confidential process.”

A Troubling Repeat Offence

The failed test is Taylor’s second in as many years. In late 2024, he was suspended ahead of the Players Championship Finals for a previous breach. That incident resulted in a one-month ban after regulators determined the substance involved was not performance-enhancing and had been taken out of competition.

Taylor appeared to rebound impressively after serving the suspension, re-earning his place via the Pro Tour Order of Merit and reaching two semi-finals and a quarter-final in 2025. After his win over Lukasiak, he openly discussed how hard the setback had been:

“Massively… biggest letdown of my life,” he said. “But I’ve rebounded back, and here we are.”

Just a week later, “here” became the center of another doping scandal — one that now raises far more serious questions.

Paul Nicholson: “His Reputation Is Completely Shot”

Among the first major figures to react was former PDC star and talkSPORT pundit Paul Nicholson, who did not hold back in his assessment.

“I think things are about to get very real for Dom Taylor,” Nicholson said. “We’ve been lauding his talent… but unfortunately, his reputation is completely shot because not only has he failed once, but he has spoken to the media this event about putting things right — and he lied.”

Nicholson emphasized that Taylor will require support from the PDPA but insisted the DRA must impose a strong sanction.

“They’ve got to throw the book at him because this is not a first-time offence… something’s got to be learned from this for the next generation. This will not be tolerated.”

He also suggested Taylor should forfeit all prize money earned at the event — both as punishment and fairness to Lukasiak, who was eliminated by a player now found in violation of anti-doping rules.

Major Schedule Shake-Up

Taylor’s removal forces a reshuffling of the second-round slate, leaving Saturday evening’s session with only three matches:

• Stephen Bunting vs. Nitin Kumar – headline match

• Michael Smith vs. Niels Zonneveld – opening contest

• Chris Dobey vs. Andrew Gilding

Jonny Clayton now advances automatically into the third round, where he will face the winner of Smith vs. Zonneveld.

A Crisis That Overshadows Competition

The timing of the suspension — just as the tournament moves into its high-profile second round — casts a shadow over what has otherwise been an electric start at Alexandra Palace.

For Taylor, it marks a devastating blow to a career that once appeared on the rise. For the PDC and DRA, it underscores both the necessity and the toughness of the sport’s anti-doping framework.

A talented player is gone. A scandal now looms. And until the disciplinary process concludes, one of the World Championship’s most shocking early moments will remain unresolved — and unforgettable.