Darts Player Ricky Evans Condemns Vile Online Abuse Following Defeat
- Ricky Evans displayed emotion after his victory in Germany on Friday.
- The 44-year-old publicly shared news of his sister’s passing earlier in March.
- Evans has now revealed abhorrent messages received after his Saturday match loss.
By SPENCER MORGAN
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Darts professional Ricky Evans has disclosed that he has become the target of appalling online abuse via social media platforms.
Emotional scenes unfolded on Friday evening as Evans triumphed over Dutch darts icon Raymond van Barneveld at the European Darts Trophy.
Evans, currently ranked 44th globally, competed shortly after the death of his younger sister and was visibly moved on stage after securing the win.
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In early March, Evans announced the somber news with a heartfelt message: ‘My beautiful little sister Elisha… I love you immensely. I will forever be your best friend,’ accompanied by cherished photos of them together.
However, Evans could not replicate his success the subsequent night, succumbing to a 6-1 defeat against fifth-seeded Dave Chisnall.
Following this loss in Germany, he was subjected to offensive abuse online.
Ricky Evans has revealed that he has been the target of some shocking abuse on social media
Evans shared a screenshot of the abusive messages he received on Instagram.
Evans publicly shared a screenshot of the abusive Instagram direct messages on his story, captioning it: ‘You sick, horrible human being. I am aware of my weight, but the rest is unbelievable!!!’
Within the messages, the sender denigrates him with insults before making callous remarks about his deceased sister, suggesting he would join her in hell due to alleged overeating.
Defender of Van Barneveld
Following the initial match against Van Barneveld on Friday, some criticism was directed towards the Dutch player.
Instead of immediately comforting Evans, Van Barneveld appeared to retreat to his scoring desk, leaving Evans to acknowledge the match officials first. The 2007 world champion then offered a brief handshake before exiting the stage.
This interaction prompted disapproval from some spectators, who felt Van Barneveld’s reaction lacked empathy; however, Evans used social media to support the 57-year-old.
‘I am noticing Raymond receiving considerable unwarranted negativity on social media,’ Evans stated on Facebook. ‘And I wanted to address this directly.’
‘Raymond was the very first person to approach me in Leicester at the recent Pro Tour events and express his condolences regarding my recent family bereavement, and I hold him in high regard and respect.’
‘We communicated this morning, and he extended his best wishes for the remainder of the tournament. There is absolutely no animosity or issue between us; we were both simply focused on winning the match.’
Evans’ sister passed away earlier in March, and the World No. 44 player paid tribute to her in the aftermath.
Evans, a popular figure among fans, is recognized for his flamboyant attire during the World Championship.
One fan accused van Barneveld of displaying a ‘disrespectful attitude,’ while another described the incident as ‘extremely poor’.
After securing the victory, Evans, nicknamed ‘Rapid’ because of his quick dart-throwing style, commented: ‘I was indifferent to how I played – it’s not just about defeating Raymond; it holds significant personal meaning.’
‘After everything I have endured, winning this darts match makes me the happiest person in Germany right now. I am still competing in this tournament, and this win is immensely important for me.’