Darts player Bunting received a wave of abuse after defeat: what happened.
Bunting's outrage after online trolling
According to The Sun: Steven Bunting expressed his outrage after being trolled online following his exit from the World Grand Prix tournament.
Bunting, known by his nickname 'The Flying', was eliminated by Daniel Noppert in the quarter-finals while struggling with severe back issues.
Shutterstock EditorialAt 40 years old, he lost 3-1 in Leicester, and Noppert will now face Gary Anderson in the next round.
Noppert displayed excellent play, impressing with his accuracy at key moments.
After the match, Bunting received harsh comments online, which he posted on Facebook.
Among the comments were trolls saying:
“just die motherf***er”and
“f***ing fat clown”.
Bunting responded to these vile comments, saying:
“Just losing doesn't deserve that amount of bullying. It's so sad to see.”
He also shared that his back problems made it difficult for him to play against Noppert, preventing him from scoring and finding his rhythm.
Bunting tried to stretch his back, but it only worsened the situation.
After exiting the tournament, he shared his painful issue on social media, writing:
“My back is so painful. I couldn’t lift my darts. I tried to stretch and only made it worse.”
He also added:
“How I won so many legs, I don't know. The crowd knew I was in pain. Unfortunately, social media is full of negativity. Well done, Daniel, you played well.”
Bunting received support from fans in the comments, with one writing:
“Hard to lose to Bunting. Wishing him a speedy recovery.”
Another commenter noted:
“Come back stronger, champion, and hopefully with a stronger back.”
A third added:
“I saw you were really struggling. Only forward for the next tournament.”
This issue arose after Bunting achieved a rare success only available to Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen.
This year, he achieved an impressive feat, becoming the third player to win two players' championships, two European tour titles, and two world series darts tournaments.
id='6382219638112' data-video-id='6382219638112' data-account='5067014667001' data-player='default' data-usage='cms:WordPress:6.5.7:2.8.6:javascript' data-embed='default' class='video-js' data-application-id='' controls style='width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;'>This situation highlights how brutal social media can be, where even successful athletes fall victim to bullying. Bunting, despite the difficulties, receives support from concerned fans urging him to return to the game stronger. It is important for all of us to be aware of the consequences of our words online and to support those suffering from unfair attacks.
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