Raymond van Barneveld has been left reeling after former colleague Dick van Dijk launched a scathing attack, calling the five-time world champion "the biggest narcissist there is." Van Dijk, a former WDF World Cup winner, made the remarks in an interview with Panorama, also criticizing other Dutch darts figures like Co Stompé. Vincent van der Voort, who spoke with Van Barneveld afterward, shared that the comments have deeply affected the Hague native, noting, "this one definitely hit van Barneveld hard."
Van der Voort, appearing on the Darts Draait Door podcast, shed light on Van Dijk's history, describing him as "a very outspoken person" who says "whatever he thinks" but also has "a lot of humor." He revealed that Van Dijk was once supported by sponsor Ben de Kok and even traveled with Van Barneveld for a period, suggesting "there's clearly some history there." Van der Voort speculated that Van Dijk might hold a grudge, saying, "He seems to have a bit of a grudge... it feels like something is bothering him."
The timing of the interview has raised questions, with Van der Voort wondering aloud, "is it really necessary to do that in Panorama all these years later?" He acknowledged it could involve more recent events, adding, "Well, it's not really 20 years later, of course—this is more recent." Van der Voort also expressed uncertainty about how the interview came about, stating, "I don't know how these things come about. I'm curious how it happened."
Van der Voort emphasized the cumulative impact on Van Barneveld, noting, "It's only April, and it's been hit after hit after hit. That one definitely lands—it's obvious." He expressed hope that things will ease up for the former world champion, saying, "I just hope things ease up a bit for Raymond, with everything that's still coming." The fallout remains uncertain, with Van der Voort cautious about whether there will be more reactions or if this will remain a single outburst.
