Joe Cullen Voices Frustration Over Mensur Suljovic’s Behavior After world Darts Championship Defeat

After his exit from teh World Darts Championship, Joe Cullen openly criticized Mensur Suljovic’s conduct during their second-round match, labeling it as “not darts.” The Austrian competitor’s deliberate slow pace and extended celebrations provoked visible irritation from Cullen at Alexandra Palace.

A tactical Battle Marked by Contrasting styles

At 53 years old, Suljovic rallied from a set behind to claim a 3-1 win against the Bradford-based player. Despite posting a lower average score of 81.95 compared to Cullen’s 86.53, Suljovic leveraged strategic play to secure victory. Interestingly, ‘The Gentle’ converted only 23.7% of his doubles while Cullen was more precise at 44.4%, yet this did not prevent suljovic from advancing.

The Effect of Deliberate Slow Play and Lengthy Celebrations

Cullen’s frustration grew as he observed the time Suljovic took between throws and during his prolonged celebrations-actions that even led referee Kirk Bevans to step in during the contest. Upon leaving the stage, Cullen paused momentarily to glare back at Suljovic while the crowd applauded him.

“If that counts as darts, I want no part in it! I’ve always respected Mensur off-stage but what happened today was clear for everyone,”

Cullen vented on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), highlighting that many fans share his opinion that such tactics border on unsportsmanlike behavior rather than fair competition.

Suljovic Responds: Different Rhythms Define Player Styles

In post-match remarks,Suljovic declined to issue a direct apology toward Cullen but expressed willingness to apologize if officials deemed it necessary. He explained players have varying tempos: “I usually wait about 40 seconds before my first dart,” contrasting this wiht others who throw rapidly or stand so close their errant darts nearly hit him-a scenario he finds unacceptable.

Expert Insights: Strategic Gamesmanship or unsporting Conduct?

Lakeside three-time champion Glen Durrant weighed in on the controversy by acknowledging that although Suljovic employed deliberate tempo changes as gamesmanship tactics, he did not breach any official rules during play.

Durrant commented: “Mensur is known for alternating between slow and fast playing styles; perhaps he sensed an possibility against Joe.” He commended both players’ mental strength but suggested fans might be overly focused on social media drama instead of key performance details-such as how Joe missed three set-winning darts despite averaging around just 79 points in one frame-which arguably had greater impact than pacing strategies alone.

mental Pressure Highlighted by Analyst Dan Dawson

Darts expert Dan Dawson reflected on how psychological strain influenced Cullens’ performance after repeated frustrations caused by failing to capitalize on weaker shots from Suljovic:

“Mensur fully disrupted Joe’s mindset here; late in the match Joe couldn’t find any answers.”

The Broader Debate: Balancing Sportsmanship with Competitive Strategy in Modern Darts

This episode highlights ongoing discussions within professional darts about where sportsmanship ends and tactical advantage begins under high-pressure conditions.With global interest surging-PDC tournaments attracted over two million viewers per event last year-the focus sharpens on preserving fair play while respecting individual player rhythms and styles.

• world Darts Championship Schedule & Results: Keep track of all fixtures throughout this prestigious annual tournament held at Alexandra Palace.
• paddy Power World Darts Championship Coverage: Follow every live game exclusively via Sky Sports’ dedicated channel until January 3rd (Sky channel 407).
• Darting Community Reactions: Fans remain divided over whether slow play constitutes legitimate gamesmanship or unsporting behavior amid evolving regulations aimed at speeding up matches without restricting player freedom.