A DUTCH MP has come out in support of making Darts the newest addition to the Olympic Games.
Jimme Nordkamp, 29, is a Member of Parliament for the municipality of Losser in Eastern Netherlands.
The Dutch Labour Party member says he is a keen darter, and even joked about putting a dartboard in his office in his official biography on the House of Representatives website.
Now he has championed the sport’s inclusion in one of the biggest global sporting events in the world, suggesting that darts has been overlooked and not taken seriously enough.
Nordkamp told De Telegraaf: “As far as I’m concerned, it’s time for the next step – darts should become an Olympic sport. It’s top-level competition now.”
“Darts has become a proper international sport, with millions watching around the world. We can’t keep pretending it’s not.”
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He is not the first major voice to address darts’ potential inclusion in the event.
Three-time World Champion and fellow Dutchman Michael van Gerwen was receptive to the idea when asked about it in 2024.
He echoed the MP’s sentiments on the popularity of the sport warranting its own event at the games.
“I think it can happen, there are sports already in the Olympics that are less professional and not as global as ours.
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“But it’s not up to me — it’s down to the Olympic Committee, Matchroom Sport, and the PDC. I don’t get a say, even though I’d love to.”
World No2 Luke Humphries also backed a move to add darts to the Olympic calendar, saying earlier this year: “I would love to see it in the Olympics – I don’t care if I’m not a part of it, I would just love to see it.
“But do I think it will happen? Probably not in the next five to 10 years. I don’t think there’s enough traction around it, I’m not sure if it’s being pushed.”
Of the hurdles blocking darts’ inclusion in the games, the largest is its organisational structure.
The International Olympic Committee requires that sports in the games are overseen by a single global governing body.
Though the PDC is the biggest and most recognised governing body of the professional game, it is not considered to meet those requirements.
However, the games have been expanding in recent years, so there may be room for the arrows to sneak in if they can overcome that hurdle.
The upcoming 2028 games in Los Angeles will include two new sports in American Flag Football and Squash.
