The inaugural event of the 2025 season World series of Darts came to an end on Friday evening Stephen Bunting defeated Gerwyn’s price to take Bahrain Dart Masters title. However, there was excellent refereeing to be admired in the early stages of the competition Huw Ware stood out.
Price has never been a fan favorite, and going up against people’s champion Bunting, it’s fair to say the Welshman had no support from the Bahrain crowd. Already in the first part of the match, the crowd also tried to make their presence felt by whistling when Price threw darts. At least that was the case until Judge Ware stepped in.
“Stop whistling!” Ware demanded of the crowd firmly and sternly, giving the impression that he would not ask the question a second time. The expression on the Welsh referee’s face even caught the attention of Dan Dawson during commentary for ITV Sport. “Oh, he’s very strict, isn’t he! My word,” Dawson exclaimed hilariously.
This approach by Ware represents a stark difference from that of another PDC judge Kirk Bevins. During the 2024 Grand Slam of Darts, Mike de Decker was the subject of boos and whistles during the competition with Luke Littler, asking Bevins to step in. However, the referee chose not to use a similar tactic to Ware’s, and later tweeted to explain his inaction. “The crowd gets worse and worse when the referees address the crowd,” Bevins insisted.
Considering the evidence on this occasion, as the whistles stopped completely following Ware’s stern words to those present, it would appear that the referee could indeed silence the whistles and boos if he so intended.
As mentioned, Bunting ultimately won the final, earning his first place finish World Darts Series title. Watch the incident involving Ware in the video below!
