Dom Taylor gets six-month suspension after failing drugs test during PDC World Championship

Dom Taylor has been given a six-month suspension for failing a drugs test during the PDC World Championship in December.

A statement from the Darts Regulation Authority confirmed that the 27-year-old had admitted breaching anti-doping rules.

At a hearing on 7 January, the DRA Disciplinary Committee said it was “satisfied that Taylor’s ingestion of both cocaine and cannabis occurred out of competition and was not following the commencement of the World Championship”.

Taylor had previously served a one-month ban following a failed drugs test towards the end of 2024 and the sanction for his second offence is in line with UK Anti-Doping’s (Ukad) rules.

Englishman Taylor had won his first-round match against Oskar Lukasiak but news of his failed drugs test and suspension was released before his scheduled second-round match against Jonny Clayton.

Welshman Clayton, who was the fifth seed at Alexandra Palace, received a bye through to round three as a result.

Taylor later posted on Facebook to say he was “sincerely sorry” for his actions, that his mental health had been affected by a number of personal traumas and that he would be “getting the help” he needed.

As a result of the findings, Taylor forfeited his £25,000 prize money for reaching the second round of the World Championship.

That meant he dropped just outside the top 64 in the PDC’s world rankings and has therefore lost his PDC tour card for 2026.