Danny Noppert lost 6-3 to Sebastian Bialecki in the second round of the European Darts Open in Leverkusen. After the match he posted on Instagram showing a hateful message that claimed his mother died of cancer and wished similar misfortune on his family. Noppert confirmed his mother had died of cancer and said the comment will haunt him.

Noppert, a PDC regular who reached the German Darts Grand Prix final earlier in the year and has five Players Championship titles since joining the tour in 2018, said the abuse came from gambling‑lost fans. He urged a focus on sport rather than personal attacks.

The defeat drops Noppert out of the European Open’s later stages and reduces his prize earnings for the event. It also adds pressure as he seeks to improve his ranking ahead of the upcoming Premier League and World Matchplay fixtures. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about online abuse targeting darts players.