Schindler frustrated after quarterfinal exit: Discussion about dartboards in Frankfurt

Decisive moment at 4:7

Schindler then took his frustration public as well: On his Instagram account, he posted a photo showing the packaging of a Winmau dartboard in a trash can. This made clear whom he blamed for the defeat. The manufacturer Winmau is the standard supplier for tournaments run by the world governing body PDC.

Schindler was not the only one to voice criticism. Scottish former world champion Gary Anderson, who won the titles in 2015 and 2016, also fired sharply at the playing equipment after the tournament. "Das sind die schlechtesten Dartboards überhaupt", said Anderson. And further: "Fragen Sie irgendjemanden auf der Tour, der spielt, fragen Sie sogar die PDC, fragen Sie sogar den Hersteller - die werden Ihnen sagen, dass die Boards absolut schlecht sind."

Anderson also criticizes the playing equipment

The Dutch team featuring Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen advanced to the final after their 8:4 semifinal win over Germany. There, the "Elftal" faced England, which was considered the top favorite heading into the tournament. England was represented by Luke Littler, regarded as a "wunderkind" of darts, as well as Luke Humphries.

In the final, England won clearly 10:5 against the Netherlands. The tournament thus ended with a clear favorite victory. For the German team, however, it was already over in the quarterfinals.

Final between England and the Netherlands

The debate about the playing equipment ultimately overshadowed the sporting outcome from a German perspective. Winmau boards are used at events run by the world governing body PDC, making the discussion about the quality of the equipment an issue for the entire tour.

Schindler's emotional reaction on stage and the subsequent social media post show how closely success and disappointment lie together in darts. A single deflected dart was enough to prevent the turnaround against the Netherlands.

The Team World Championship in Frankfurt am Main will therefore be remembered from a German perspective primarily for the discussion about the dartboards used and the missed semifinal berth. How the world governing body PDC and the manufacturer Winmau will respond to the ongoing criticism remained initially open.