Former darts prodigy handed eight-year ban after being found guilty of fixing four matches
Former darts prodigy Leighton Bennett has been handed an eight-year ban from the sport for match-fixing. Bennett received the lengthy suspension after he was found guilty by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) of fixing four matches. Bennett has been banned for eight years by the DRAGetty The 18-year-old, who won the BDO World Youth Championship in 2019, was also found guilty of failing to assist the investigation and signing a contract with an unregistered agent. Bennett also had to pay a £8,100 fine. He has until December 14 to appeal the findings of the DRA’s Disciplinary Committee. Billy Warriner was also charged by the DRA with match-fixing and received a 10-year ban from the sport. The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) was alerted to the case when they reported suspicious betting on four of Bennett’s matches at a Modus Super Series event in September last year. Modus Super Series welcomed the DRA’s decision. “We are fully supportive of the outcome and hope that the severity of the punishment will act as a deterrent against future offences in relation to betting and match fixing,” a Modus Super Series statement read. “Modus Super Series works tirelessly to ensure the integrity of our event, everybody involved, and the sport of darts is protected.” In the DRA’s published findings, Warriner admitted he had reached out to Bennett about fixing matches so he could clear his own mounting gambling debts. “At the time I felt I didn’t have any option,” Warriner told the DRA. Bennett was convinced to bet on games by Billy WarrinerGetty Images - Getty “I asked Leighton to do it and I messaged a few mates to say can you put this money on these games for me. “I thought we had got away with it until in January Leighton had his phone taken off him at Q-School, then I knew it was a problem.” Warriner called Bennett on Snapchat and told the teenager he would pay him £2,000 in cash for fixing the contest. “Leighton wasn’t sure about doing it at first, he said, ‘Do you reckon I will get caught,'” Warriner said. “I said no, obviously because I needed the money. I think I said, ‘Do you fancy fixing a couple of matches?’ Eventually he said yes, but he didn’t take a lot of persuading. “I told him he was already out of the competition and couldn’t get through anyway, and he agreed to do it. Then I contacted my mates and got them to put the bets on. “There were no threats or coercion, it was only money offered to get him to do it.”
Former darts prodigy Leighton Bennett has been handed an eight-year ban from the sport for match-fixing.
Bennett received the lengthy suspension after he was found guilty by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) of fixing four matches.
The 18-year-old, who won the BDO World Youth Championship in 2019, was also found guilty of failing to assist the investigation and signing a contract with an unregistered agent.
Bennett also had to pay a £8,100 fine.
He has until December 14 to appeal the findings of the DRA’s Disciplinary Committee.
Billy Warriner was also charged by the DRA with match-fixing and received a 10-year ban from the sport.
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) was alerted to the case when they reported suspicious betting on four of Bennett’s matches at a Modus Super Series event in September last year.
Modus Super Series welcomed the DRA’s decision.
“We are fully supportive of the outcome and hope that the severity of the punishment will act as a deterrent against future offences in relation to betting and match fixing,” a Modus Super Series statement read.
“Modus Super Series works tirelessly to ensure the integrity of our event, everybody involved, and the sport of darts is protected.”
In the DRA’s published findings, Warriner admitted he had reached out to Bennett about fixing matches so he could clear his own mounting gambling debts.
“At the time I felt I didn’t have any option,” Warriner told the DRA.
“I asked Leighton to do it and I messaged a few mates to say can you put this money on these games for me.
“I thought we had got away with it until in January Leighton had his phone taken off him at Q-School, then I knew it was a problem.”
Warriner called Bennett on Snapchat and told the teenager he would pay him £2,000 in cash for fixing the contest.
“Leighton wasn’t sure about doing it at first, he said, ‘Do you reckon I will get caught,'” Warriner said.
“I said no, obviously because I needed the money. I think I said, ‘Do you fancy fixing a couple of matches?’ Eventually he said yes, but he didn’t take a lot of persuading.
“I told him he was already out of the competition and couldn’t get through anyway, and he agreed to do it. Then I contacted my mates and got them to put the bets on.
“There were no threats or coercion, it was only money offered to get him to do it.”
