René van der Gijp is a well-known figure in Dutch sports media and is also familiar to darts enthusiast Co Stompé. The former footballer currently appears regularly on the talk show Vandaag Inside, but he spent many years as a soccer analyst at RTL. Interestingly, one recurring topic during those years was not football, but darts.
In a recent episode of the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast (around 38:50), Van der Gijp reflected on those times. He revealed that previews of Europa League matches rarely focused on football itself. “Not once did we talk about the matches during previews, only about other things,” he chuckled. He added that nowadays such a detour wouldn’t be possible: “With Hélène (Hendriks), you can talk about the matches for an entire hour. Which is actually impressive, because some of those Europa League games are pretty meaningless—you just can’t fill an hour talking about them.”
Darts: A Favorite Offbeat Topic
Instead of deep soccer analyses, lighter subjects often took center stage, with darts—and especially Co Stompé—being a popular choice. Back then, Stompé, a former darts pro, was frequently present in a different RTL studio, so his name came up regularly. Van der Gijp recalls, “We could chat about darts for half an hour. Then Johan would joke, ‘How can Co and all those dart players be so terribly ugly?’ and we’d carry on with that for quite some time.”
Nicknamed “The Matchstick,” Stompé was already enjoying his peak years but remained a beloved and colorful figure in the darts community. His vivid personality made him ideal fodder for conversations—even among football analysts expected to discuss the sport.
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Behind the Humor: Stompé’s Tax Troubles
However, the discussions weren’t always light-hearted. Van der Gijp also mentioned Stompé’s well-known tax issues. The dart player was caught for failing to declare over 200,000 euros in income from 2009 to 2013, resulting in 150 hours of community service. “I’d always ask Co how it went, and he’d say, ‘My wife filled out those papers,’” Van der Gijp shared on the podcast. “Apparently, she just reported his salary as a streetcar driver and forgot a few important details!”
Stompé’s wife herself was sentenced to 190 hours of community service. In a 2017 interview, Stompé described how difficult those times were: “We even had to sell our wedding rings just to make ends meet. We made mistakes, but this witch hunt was unnecessary,” he said.
Continuing Legacy in Darts
Despite these setbacks, Stompé stayed connected to darts. When Viaplay acquired the broadcasting rights in the Netherlands, he moved over as a commentator and analyst. His experience and straightforward style continue to make him a respected voice in the sport.
Van der Gijp’s stories highlight just how much darts has grown in the Netherlands. What used to be a side note during football evenings has evolved into a prominent part of the sports scene. The fact that someone like Co Stompé was a recurring topic in football studios for years shows how deeply darts and its personalities have embedded themselves in Dutch sports culture.
What began as a light-hearted diversion in Europa League previews developed into a regular phenomenon: conversations about darts and especially Co Stompé. This reflects not only Van der Gijp and Johan Derksen’s humorous approach but also how darts has become intertwined with Dutch sporting life.
Through these anecdotes, it’s clear that darts is more than just a sport in the Netherlands—it’s entertainment, a source of lively conversation, and sometimes even comedy fodder in the soccer studio.
