Darts officials ban Australian Tim Pusey's controversial nickname ahead of World Championship
Australian player Tim Pusey has run into trouble with darts officials over a risqué nickname – and fans are fuming.
An Australian darts player with a risqué nickname has been banned from using it at the World Championship.
Tim Pusey is known as “The Magnet” by quick-witted fans.
But the 33-year-old Aussie will have to find a new moniker for December’s event after Professional Darts Corporation executives were unamused by the vulgar innuendo when his surname and nickname are combined.
Tim confirmed his name was off-limits, telling the Tungsten Tales podcast: “That’s why I don’t have any of that on my shirt.
“I’m going to have to find a new one. We might have to do some sort of poll.
“It’s hard, because everything can be turned.
“At the moment I don’t have any (alternatives) and the chants can be colourful.”
Pusey is a first-time contestant at the worlds in London’s Alexandra Palace and will bag £15,000 ($A30,000) just for turning up.
During a qualifying tournament, he was serenaded with tongue-in-cheek chants of “We love you Pusey, we do”.
Fans online claimed PDC bosses had missed the bullseye with the bizarre move.
Robin Timburg raged: “You can’t take his name.”
Ryan Hoggarth branded the move “woke nonsense” — while others suggested he simply rebranded as “The Destroyer”.
In 2023, the PDC stopped Owen “The Master” Bates from using his nickname.
The 22-year-old has yet to come up with a new one.
The PDC was asked to comment on its crackdown on Pusey.
But its rules state it can “prohibit offensive, vulgar or inappropriate nicknames” when players try to sneak them past officials.
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