Barry Hearn “pleased” at the outcome of Price’s DRA appeal

PDC Chairman Barry Hearn admits he is “pleasantly pleased” at the outcome of Gerwyn Price’s appeal against his record tally of fines.

Price was hit with a total of £21,500 in fines and a three-month ban, suspended for six months, in January after being found guilty of three separate breaches of DRA rules during last November’s Grand Slam.

The Welshman revealed in April that he had appealed the sanctions and was prepared to take it to the “high court” if necessary.

On Monday, the DRA has confirmed that the 34-year-old has had his total of fines reduced by £10,000 relating to two sanctions but has been ordered to pay £2,325.24 towards the costs of the appeal process.

The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) is an independent body in charge of governing the sport of darts, comprising of a five-man board who provide a cross-section of views and experience from different backgrounds.

Hearn, who is in charge of the sport’s promotion company – the Professional Darts Corporation – admits he was surprised at the severity of the initial punishment and says he is pleased it has now been revised.

“I would have appealed it,” Hearn told Live Darts.

“I’m very happy with the disciplinary structure within the PDC because it’s totally independent, as it should be.

“Although people think I’m the governor, trust me when I tell you, I can’t influence Nigel Mawer and his people one bit.

“They’re ex policemen, I can’t talk to ex policemen, we’ve got no chance. I’ve spent most of my life trying to avoid them!

“They are totally independent and they do what they think is appropriate and that’s their job.

“I thought 20 grand was a lot of money and I’m quite pleasantly pleased because he got ten grand off.

“At the same time, he was out of order, he got punished and then punishment is in the eye of the beholder.

“Do you argue that you won a hundred grand by being a bit naughty so the fine of 10 or 20 grand is not enough? Or do you say it didn’t affect the result, which I don’t think it really did, therefore you get a slap on the wrist?

“I think we sent the right message out and I think it’s ended up about right.”

Price was initially fined £8,000 for ‘Bringing the game into disrepute and gamesmanship’ in his Quarter-Final win over Simon Whitlock and a further £12,000 for the same rule breaches in the final against Gary Anderson.

Both fines have now been halved, though his £1,500 fine for ‘inappropriate posts on social media’ remains unchanged.

The three-month suspension imposed in January, which was suspended for six months, has now expired.