The players at the center of darts’ latest "fartgate" scandal "both claimed to have smelt it, but neither wants to admit to having dealt it as a third figure looms," according to NEWS.com.au. Two-time world champion Gary Anderson and his 34-year-old Dutch opponent, Wesley Harms, were playing for a quarterfinal spot at the Grand Slam of Darts on Friday, "with the 47-year-old Scot blowing away his younger opponent 10-2." But it was the "rotten egg smells" at the throwing line that were "making noise after the match and have since rocked the sport." In a post-match TV interview, Harms "claimed his Scottish rival was responsible for breaking wind on stage." But Anderson "hit back, suggesting it was Harms who left the unpleasant smell." Professional Darts Corp. Chair Barry Hearn hinted "a third party might be responsible" for the offensive odors. He said, "We’ve got to get to the bottom of this. ... I guess people wonder if blowing off might constitute advanced gamesmanship. Then again, (caller Russ Bray) was just about within farting distance." Bray has called darts for 22 years and "categorically denied dropping the bombshell." Anderson said, "It definitely came from table-side and it was eggs, rotten eggs, but not from me. ... It was bad. It was a stink. Then he started to play better and I thought he must have needed to get some wind out. If somebody has done that, they need to see a doctor." Harms said, "It’ll take me two nights to lose this smell from my nose." Darts are "serious business" in the U.K., with the sport drawing the second-most views sport on Sky Sports, behind only football, "with big arena shows drawing big crowd numbers" (NEWS.com.au, 11/18).
