Luke Littler responds to claims Nathan Aspinall will be fined for what he said in Players Championship match
World champion Luke Littler has weighed in on speculation that fellow darts pro Nathan Aspinall could face a fine after an explicit outburst during his Players Championship quarter-final match.
During his clash with Martin Lukeman in Rosmalen, Aspinall reacted angrily after a poor first dart, audibly muttering “fing w” and shaking his head. Despite his frustrations, he went on to win the match 6-2 and later defeated Jonny Clayton to reach the final, where he lost 8-6 to Damon Heta.
The moment drew attention online, especially from popular TikTok darts commentator Tom Talks Darts, who suggested the four-second clip could cost Aspinall “a couple of hundred quid.” Littler chimed in with a cryptic response, saying: “could hundred u don’t know what’s coming his way,” hinting at a potentially larger fine.
Although Aspinall took home £10,000 for finishing runner-up, he may see a portion of that deducted if the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) deems his language in breach of conduct. While the incident occurred in a non-televised match, the DRA has previously handed down hefty fines—most notably, Gerwyn Price was fined £21,500 in 2019 before having it reduced on appeal.
Aspinall, currently ranked seventh in the world, has faced disciplinary action before. In 2022, he was fined £250 for an inappropriate gesture, making a similar penalty seem likely this time around.
Whether the DRA opts for a fine or a warning, the incident underscores the tight behavioral standards players are expected to follow—even during off-camera matches.
