‘This is what I have to deal with the rest of my life’ – Darts world champion reveals what he goes through after row with rival

Michael Smith has revealed the painful injury problems he says he will have to live with for the rest of his life — as frustrations on and off the oche continue to mount.

The former world champion, nicknamed Bully Boy, has endured a difficult spell in recent years. After reaching the summit of the sport in 2023 following his victory at the World Darts Championship, the 35-year-old has slipped to No.32 in the Professional Darts Corporation Order of Merit.

His struggles continued in 2026 when he suffered a shock qualifying defeat to Mickey Mansell for the Poland Darts Masters — a result that sparked a heated exchange between the pair.

Smith criticised Mansell’s deliberate pace at the board in a social media post that was later deleted, accusing his opponent of gamesmanship and labelling his approach “horrible”. Mansell fired back with a sarcastic response, joking he should have been a boxer after knocking Smith out of two tournaments.

The dispute escalated further when Smith’s wife, Dagmara Smith, joined the online spat, taking aim at Mansell’s slow style of play.

But beyond the verbal battle, Smith revealed a far more serious issue — a long-term ankle problem that worsens whenever he flies for tournaments.

Posting on Instagram, the star shared images of swelling after travel and admitted the condition causes significant discomfort every time he boards a plane.

He explained that the pressure of flying leaves him in pain for days after landing, describing it as something he expects to endure permanently.

Smith said the condition frustrates him deeply because he continues to push through the pain to compete at the highest level. He admitted it sometimes makes him question whether the physical toll is worth it, particularly when dealing with stressful matches and perceived tactical distractions.

The St Helens thrower — from St Helens — said the swelling can last several days before settling, only to flare up again with his next flight.

His struggles on the oche have mirrored those physical challenges. Despite victories over Jeffrey Sparidaans and Samuel Price in qualifying, he ultimately fell short against Mansell, who secured the tournament place instead.

Smith has now gone almost two years without a ranking title and exited the World Championship in the second round — a far cry from the heights he once reached. He also failed to make the main draw at the World Masters in Milton Keynes.

Attention now turns to the upcoming Players Championship events, where Smith will hope to rebuild momentum after winning just one match across the opening tournaments of the season.

But while form can fluctuate, the injury appears far more permanent — a painful reality the former world No.1 says he must now accept for the rest of his career.