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‘I wasn’t playing well and it was a nightmare for the people around me’: Raymond van Barneveld opens up about divorce from ex-wife and the ‘scary’ moment he collapsed at a tournament last year… while lying down prepares for his thirtieth world championship
- Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld retired from darts in December 2019
- He returned to the sport less than a year after missing the ‘buzz’ of darts.
- The 55-year-old collapsed at the Players Championship in Milton Keynes in 2021
- Van Barneveld is now ready to take part in his 30th world championship event
Raymond van Barneveld has opened up about the personal issues that led to his retirement, as well as the “scary moment” he collapsed at the Players Championship following his return to darts.
The Dutchman is set to join Steve Beaton as one of two players to feature in 30 World Champions, of which he has won five.
Despite his success, his story has not been a smooth one after coming out of retirement and also overcoming a series of problems outside of the Oche.
Raymond van Barneveld will become one of only two to play in 30 world championships.
The darts legend collapsed at the Players Championship in Milton Keynes in March 2021. Paramedics had to put him in a recovery position, but he did not require hospital treatment.
Speaking about his retirement following a first-round exit at the 2020 PDC World Darts Championship against American Darin Young, he told The Guardian: “There was too much going on in my head.”
“I was breaking up with my ex-wife and I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t playing well and I was a nightmare for the people around me.
Van Barneveld has had to overcome personal difficulties in his life, as well as health problems.
He made the decision to retire in December 2019 before making a U-turn in September of the following year.
The 55-year-old missed out on enthusiasm, at a time when there was little he could do due to the Covid pandemic, prompting him to return.
It was six months after his decision to return that he fell ill at the Players Championship after being defeated in the first round of the PDC Super Series 2 event at Marshall Arena 1-6 by Ryan Searle.
Van Barneveld’s manager, Ben de Kok, told Dutch outlet AD that the five-time world champion collapsed after watching compatriot Jeffrey de Zwaan play, and paramedics put him in a recovery position.
Van Barneveld collapsed during the Players Championship in Milton Keynes in March last year.
Van Barneveld said: ‘The year off was brilliant because I was able to relax, but because of the pandemic I couldn’t really do much. So I missed the buzz. Then I broke down, my mom and dad [Covid-19] and then I collapsed again a couple of months later. It was a terrifying time.
His manager suggested that the collapse may be related to diabetes or heart disease. The Dutchman was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2009 and has maintained a strict fitness regimen over the years.
The veteran has worked his way back into the top 32 in the world, which means he has a first round bye at Ally Pally.
Van Barneveld joins Steve Beaton as the only players to compete in 30 world championships
She will face either Ryan Meikle or four-time Women’s World Champion Lisa Ashton in Round 2.
Despite climbing back up the rankings and reaching the semi-final of the Grand Slam of Darts last month, Van Barneveld has described his last two years as “really mediocre”.
He said: ‘When I was in the top four in the world, everything seemed easier because you qualified for all the big tournaments. Now, I’m barely qualifying for the majors.
‘But there is no pressure on me here. I am on the moon. I did well at the Grand Slam and I showed the whole world that I can still do this. I am showing that I can play well and I am not afraid of anyone.