BREAKING: Darts star suspended minutes before start of Players Championship after failing drugs test

Dominic Taylor was acceptable to play Michael Smith successful the Players Championship Finals earlier being withdrawn from the tourney owed to failing a drugs trial from a erstwhile event

The Darts Regulation Authority has suspened Dominic Taylor aft helium failed a drugs trial conscionable moments earlier the Players Championship Finals.

Taylor was owed to look Michael Smith connected Friday nighttime successful the competiton earlier being withdrawn. Nick Kenny has entered the gully and volition look Bully Boy instead.

The ace, known arsenic the Tower, has antecedently won connected the situation and improvement circuit and Is a pro circuit semi-finalist. Taylor has featured successful the UK Open 4 times.

The 26-year-old was portion of a 64-man tract that aims to find occurrence successful the £600,000 tourney astatine Butlin's Minehead Resort. Round One is to beryllium played implicit 2 stages connected Friday.

A connection work from the PDC read: "The Darts Regulation Authority has suspended Dominic Taylor pursuing the nonaccomplishment of a drugs test.

"Taylor was tested astatine a caller Players Championship lawsuit and returned a affirmative illustration for a banned substance. The Chairman of the DRA has confirmed that Taylor is suspended with contiguous effect and volition look a disciplinary proceeding connected a day to beryllium confirmed.

"As a result, Taylor has been withdrawn from the Players Championship Finals and volition beryllium replaced successful the gully by Nick Kenny, who volition present play Michael Smith connected Friday evening."

The likes of Michael van Gerwen, Luke Littler and Luke Humphries volition each beryllium targeting glory successful the tournament. Littler faces a pugnacious archetypal circular clash against Rob Cross connected the opening evening of competition.

The teenage ace prima enters the Players Championship Finals caller from winning the Grand Slam of Darts. In the moments aft his victory, his caput was already connected wherever helium could adjacent beryllium palmy however.

He said: "I’ve got 3 days disconnected earlier we caput to Minehead, I anticipation I tin spell heavy successful the Players Championship finals - and past it’s connected to the large one.

“The World Championship changed me, (changed) my family. Now the months person gone on, the tournaments, I'm conscionable getting utilized to it each and I'm going to person to get utilized to it for a precise agelong time. I americium enjoying it.”

There volition beryllium much to travel connected this breaking quality communicative and Mirror Sport will bring you the precise latest updates, pictures and video arsenic soon arsenic possible.

Please cheque backmost regularly for updates on this processing story.

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