Frank Evenblij has a serious ambition: bringing darts to the Olympic Games. "It's the ultimate dream," he says. "It's become a mission for me: making darts an Olympic sport. And on some level, of course, it's a big joke. But on the other hand, why wouldn't you do it?" Evenblij, an outspoken fan and advocate, calls darts "one of the best spectator sports there is" and argues its global popularity and winter appeal make it a fit. He jokes that the sport's sweaty conditions at venues like Lakeside inspired a thought: "When I was younger, I thought: that's why it should go to the Winter Olympics. Then you could play it in the snow and wouldn't have to worry about sweating." He points to the Winter Games' openness to new disciplines, comparing darts to archery, and notes, "It's a huge global sport. It's also a sport that's most popular in the winter — it fits perfectly with Christmas. My entire holiday period revolves around watching the PDC World Championship."
Evenblij's passion extends to his unconditional support for Raymond van Barneveld, though he admits it's a challenging fandom. "I grew up in The Hague, and I'm a die-hard Raymond van Barneveld fan," he says. "And I can tell you — and you know this too — it's very hard to be a Raymond van Barneveld fan. Because almost every day he gives you a reason to think, 'I hate you.' It's tough. It's real suffering. Being a Raymond van Barneveld fan is a combat sport." He references Van Barneveld's impact, noting the player "put Dutch darts on the map in the late 90s."
Evenblij is intrigued by Rafael van der Vaart recently taking Van Barneveld under his wing. "I actually can't picture it at all, but I think it's great that Van der Vaart is looking out for him. He talks about bringing in sponsors — 'I've got some rich friends in Beverwijk' — I love that." He believes Van Barneveld benefits from clear guidance, describing him as "basically like a little boy. You sometimes have to take him by the hand and say: you need to get up at two o'clock, here's your breakfast, this is when your flight leaves, and today you're only using these darts." Evenblij laughs but adds, "It sounds childish — the man is almost sixty — but if that's what he needs, then I think that's very cool." He even offers himself as support: "And by the way, Rafael van der Vaart: if you ever need me to mentally support Raymond van Barneveld from time to time, I'm your guy."
What began as a light-hearted remark has grown into a serious plea for Olympic inclusion. Evenblij acknowledges the idea makes some smile, but he emphasizes the sport's growth, international reach, and appeal. "It's such a major global sport. I would really love it if it ever achieved that status," he concludes.
