I was called a racist, a bully and a thug after the Seigo Asada incident

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By News Team June 19, 2023

Former Matchplay World Champion James Wade told William Hills podcast Up Front with Simon Jordan that following an onstage incident with Seigo Asada he was called a racist, a bully and hoodlum, although the incident was the result of a manic phase, a consequence of Wades’ mental health issues.

Featured on William Hills Up Front with Simon Jordan, a podcast hosted by the former owner of Crystal Palace that speaks to sports stars and celebrities and challenges their opinions while scrutinizing their careers, Wade discussed an incident where during a match against Seigo Asada, he shouted and entered his opponent’s face: After the incident, everyone jumped on the bandwagon and I was called a racist, a bully, a thug, all these things.

That night, I jumped around, unintentionally screamed in his face, and it was just too bad he was standing where he was; I was unlucky there. I was supported by Laura Woods because she told me to hang in there and see what I had to say, and I just released something that didn’t even make sense and didn’t was not in my character, but trained professionals had asked people not to put a camera in my face right after the game because I needed time to calm down, and it didn’t help me when they put a camera right in my face.

I was judged as a guy who just got there and was mean but that wasn’t it I wasn’t great and you go through stages where you’re not quite right , and nobody took it into account. I was not helped, I was not supported, and I was just made to stand in front of a board and told I was this and that and I had to face all the consequences, even if everyone had received professional opinions from trained people that what was called a manic phase, it was unfair.

Wade also referred to commentator Wayne Mardle’s comments, which implied Wade was using his mental health issues as an excuse: What Wayne Said [Mardle] offended me immensely and it upset me that he wondered if it was me who was using my problems as an excuse.

My dad told me I just wanted my son back

Wade spoke with Jordan about the mental health issues he suffered, addressing specific turning points such as his decision to seek help and a conversation he had with his father before that.

I didn’t want to go anywhere for my sanity and after people spent hours talking to me they were able to convince me to go to the Priory, Wade said. Just when we were about to leave, I refused again, and my dad just said, can I take you? I got in the car with my dad and I drove over there and I told him I thought that was a bunch of nonsense and I asked him what he thought about it and he said, I just want my son back.

When I got there it was a relief because I knew something was wrong and I knew there was an answer. It wasn’t just that I was clumsy, which I actually am, but it wasn’t just that there was a reason why I was the way I was, and as soon as it was discovered, I lost a huge weight off my shoulders. Going there was probably the best thing I ever did because by now I would have ruined all my friendships, and I know why I’m going there, people can help me, and more importantly I can help myself .

My second victory was more difficult than the first

Having never won a major tournament, Wade spoke about the mental side of winning at darts, adding that he found his second career win mentally more difficult than his first.

The second tournament I won was much tougher than the first, Wade said. I wasn’t expecting to win the first title I won, and then the next title I won, I was already thinking of winning another one. I was wondering, was the first one just a fluke and the right week for me?

I didn’t think I was expected to win the first one but after that I thought everyone was expecting me to win another one and the bookies made me drop from 150/ 1 to 3/1 and that kind of thing freaked me out.

Some players simply perform better and produce under pressure. How are you supposed to play when you have 15,000 people behind you booing, saying things you don’t like and playing for 100, 200 or even 500,000? How do you perform and produce the right dart at that time? For me, it’s part of a player’s natural ability to be able to control that.

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