TheOche.com

(Story by Paul Downey)

Former Professional Darts legend John Lowe has spoken out against the idea of smoking being a problem in darts saying,
“No it is not a problem at all in darts.”
Lowe who was the first player ever to record a perfect nine dart game on live television continues,
“Darts and smoking has never been an issue as I see it, smoking does not relate to blue collar workers and their sports only, it does not have any divide, and it is associated with every known walk of life, from Doctors to Film Stars, to Prime ministers and Presidents.
If you are asking does smoking help to calm the nerves, to assist with any task of pressure, then the answers yes.”

He began his career back in 1975 and Lowe does state that smoke filled venues were the norm back then whether the players liked it or not,
“When I started doing exhibitions throughout the UK in the mid 70′s, the venues were full of smoke, it wasn’t a case of how many were smoking, but how many were not, I used to walk out of those venues, my eyes red and stinging, and my clothes stinking of cigarette smoke, I had the choice not to play in those venues, but lets be honest, it was the norm, every restaurant, bar, club, leisure centre allowed smoking, the only place it was banned was down stairs on the local bus.”
When Lowe first began he says that it was almost a norm for Darts players to smoke but he does believe that times have changed and a lot more players today do stay clear of the habit,
“When I first started playing professionally I would say 95% of the players smoked, some a lot more than others, it was well known Jockey Willson was a very big numbered smoker, Eric Bristow almost chain smokes, today things have changes, many players smoke because their parents smoke, this did begin to change with the last generation and I feel today’s generation are far more responsible to themselves and others.”
Lowe who was known to drink on stage during his career, also believes that for some players smoking and drinking are just a way to pass the time as they wait to go on stage,
“When players enter the opens around the world, many with 2000 players all playing down to a winner over a period of two days, a friendly drink and smoke may become more prolonged as the players have to wait up to two hours before their match, the result can be inevitable”, he said.
The three time World Darts champion also believes that the ban on smoking on stage maybe has triggered a lot Darts player who have smoked in the past to quit or at least cut down,
“Smoking on stage was banned by the British Darts Organisation way back in the early 90′s; of course this does not apply to social darts in the pub or club, well not for the present.”
Derbyshire born former player has stated he is supportive of the upcoming smoking ban being implemented by the Government,
“I welcome the implementation of the ban at government level, this makes it law. I am a firm believer in freedom for oneself though, which is one of the reasons that have never made me ask or tell others not to smoke.”
The player once known as “Old Stoneface” is also intrigued about the number of sports professionals not just in Darts, who have smoked or taken drugs,
?I would be interested to learn if a survey of professional athletes who smoke has ever been conducted, I know of non, I would assume if one was done the percentage of smokers would be very low, cigarette smoking is not classed as a drug enhancing substance, unlike classified drugs, athletes who take those do not baffle me, they do so because it is the only way they are to become super successful, success alone is not enough for them, so unfortunately they look for other ways to gain success.?
Despite retiring back in 1993 Lowe still watches a lot of Darts on the television and has pinpointed two players as some of the best to watch at this moment,
?To name one player would not be right, after all it takes two to make a good match, the PDC world final between Phil Taylor and Raymond Barneveld was about as exciting as it gets, pure class, pure entertainment?, he said.
He has also pointed towards a lot of the young players starting off in Darts as exciting prospect for the future of the sport saying,
?We have plenty of young players coming through the professional ranks, many of them Dutch, darts is now the biggest sport in Holland, Michael Van Gerwen is only 17 and will be a force to be reckoned with, if he is not already.?
John Lowe will be competing with five times World Champion Eric Bristow throughout 2007 in the Legends of Darts competition. For more information and dates go to www.john-lowe.net.