About the BDDA

The British Disability Darts Association (BDDA) was established in 2016, building on the groundwork laid by some early pioneers who campaigned for an equal and fair opportunity for disabled people to play darts in a competitive environment

In 2014, the World Darts Federation approved a board setup that measured 137 cm from the bull to the ground, using the same length oche, allowing for a more equitable playing field for disabled players. That year, the inaugural Winmau World Masters Championship was held, thanks to the support of Winmau, and support from the British Darts Organisation. Notable players included Michelle Gabica, Dean Wingate, Ian Gray, Phil Lees, Denis Chadwick, and Ricky Chilton, with Chilton winning the finals and becoming the first Winmau World Masters Champion, while Lees was the runner-up.

In 2015, players Paul Hampton, Darren Kennish, Paul Gelder, Tony Pass, Phil Lees, Ricky Chilton, and Andy McEwan participated in a Disabled Darts tournament in the Isle of Man. Their passion for darts and their desire to inspire other disabled players led to the organization of a tournament in Birmingham during the summer of 2015. This event sparked heightened interest in disability darts across Britain, resulting in the founding of the BDDA in February 2016. Initially the formation and setup of BDDA was done by Sarah Smale who now sits on the board of World ParaDarts. The increasing number of player registrations and interest in the UK made it necessary to create a more localized association to manage this exciting and expanding sport.

The main aim of the BDDA is to promote participation among individuals with disabilities, at all levels, while ensuring fair competition in tournaments, the BDDA implements an impairment classification guideline based on the criteria established by the International Paralympic Committee. This classification system acknowledges and accommodates competitive disadvantages arising from impairments that significantly impact a player’s ability to compete.

Since its inception, the BDDA has hosted tournaments with an annual ranking system, culminating in “The Road to Winmau,” which allows players to qualify for the BDDA Winmau Masters and World Championships. Disability darts has gained international traction, with participants from Belgium, Holland, Germany, France, Denmark, Malta, Hungary, the Isle of Man, South Africa, Russia, Mongolia, the USA, and New Zealand. BDDA players participated in the inaugural World Cup in Ostend in 2019 and returned to the same venue in 2021.

In March 2020 BDDA were founding members of the World ParaDarts organisation, along with G-Darts Belgium and USA ParaDarts. WPD is a worldwide body which encourages the promotion of darts and disability darts in an effort to gain international recognition for the sport. WPD now has over 300 registered players from 25 countries and is an associate member of the World Darts Federation

Andy “The Viking” Fordham served as the BDDA’s first ambassador, raising awareness and supporting disabled darts players while advocating for more tournament opportunities in the UK. He is greatly missed.