Three-time world darts champion Michael van Gerwen feels that players should be banned from wearing ear defenders and says crowd noise is part of the game. MVG also feels that Gerwyn Price’s statement that he might never play in the PDC World Championship again after his quarter-final defeat is ‘nonsense’.
Former world champion Price has often been taunted by fans at darts events and was given permission by the Professional Darts Corporation to use ear protectors before his third round win against Raymond van Barneveld. It was during Price’s quarter-final match against German Gabriel Clemens that the ear defenders were worn in an attempt to ignore fans at the Alexandra Palace.
Price brought out the ear defenders when he was 3-1 down and dispensed with them after only one set, settling for airline-style earplugs in his 5-1 shock defeat. Asked if players should be allowed to use such conspicuous accessories on stage? Van Gerwen replied: “I don’t think so, nah. It has never been done in darts before, and Gezzy doesn’t need them.
“He is going through a tough period, so he is trying to think about things. He shouldn’t put himself in that position. I wear them with music before my game – but never on stage. Of course not. The crowd are part of the game and you have to deal with it.
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“That changes the big players from each other I think. I think Gabriel Clemens played a really good game and we don’t do him any justice- we only talk about Gerwyn Price. That would be a shame.”
Price lost his world No.1 status after the shock defeat and sent an angry Instagram post in which he threatened to never play at Ally Pally again. He said: “Not sure I will ever play in this event again. So frustrating, you play all year round preparing for this one tournament. So gutted I wasn’t let play.”
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