Raymond van Barneveld falls ill with ambulances at scene as Players Championship suspended

Darts great Raymond van Barneveld fell ill at the Players Championship and required treatment from two ambulances which were on the scene. All play at the tournament was suspended while medical personal treated the 53-year-old.

A statement from the PDC read: “There has been a suspension of play on some boards, whilst a player receives medical attention.

“A further update will follow in due course.”

A further statement added: “Play will resume at 2.45pm across all boards.

“The player receiving medical assistance has now left the arena and is being monitored by medics.”

Van Barneveld was not taken to hospital for any further treatment and play continued at the scheduled time.

“Raymond van Barneveld received medical treatment after being taken ill in today’s Players Championship 8,” the PDC wrote.

“He later required medical assistance after becoming unwell in the arena. He was treated by paramedics but has not required hospital treatment.”

Van Barneveld has had a disappointing week at the PDC Super Series in Milton Keynes.

The five-time world champion lost to Luke Humphries, Mervyn King before beating Matthew Edgar yesterday.

However, he suffered a heavy 6-1 loss to Ryan Searle this morning.

Ahead of the Players Championship, former Darts star Wayne Mardle Barney advice on how he can rediscover his best form.

He told Sky Sports: “He’s got a new manager, Ben de Kok, and he has said to him that he needs to apply himself properly otherwise this is not going to work. He’s got a fitness regime going on, a practice regime going on and Ben is running Barney as the business that he kind of is and there’s more.

“Ben is telling Raymond ‘you don’t moan at this’, ‘you don’t get down in a match and give up’, you don’t shake your head or say to everyone that you don’t like these events…show no negativity.

“In my mind, Barney has to do this. He has to act that way because otherwise he’s just going to get ripped to shreds.

“Barney is quite thin-skinned, he’s quite sensitive. Sometimes he doesn’t come across that way but I know him, he is and he is going to have to show a lot of fighting ability and a lot of resilience.

“The one thing that he has always shown is talent. I’m not surprised he won, I saw it coming, but certainly not this soon, but I think he’s re-applying himself.

“If you give it two, four, six months, we might see a drop off in that fighting quality but for now, it is there and he’s got to make the most of it.”

source: express.co.uk