Sneaky Michael van Gerwen accused of flouting little-known rule as Luke Littler missed two match darts
EAGLE-EYED fans spotted Michael van Gerwen appearing to break a little-known rule against Luke Littler.
The Dutch thrower beat the teenage sensation in last night’s Premier League final in Berlin.
VAN GERWEN THE BOSS IN BERLIN!
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Michael van Gerwen survives two match darts in a dramatic last-leg decider to edge out Luke Littler and claim the Night Two spoils in the German capital!https://t.co/gbUt9q25Jh#PLDarts | Final pic.twitter.com/ZfjXNwNDAx
Van Gerwen sealed a 6-5 victory in a dramatic deciding leg as Littler missed two match darts.
But his win was not without controversy with fans spotting him seemingly breaking regulations towards the end of the clash.
While Littler was at the oche, MVG stood behind him and was inside the area designated for the thrower.
The darts rulebook uses the phrase “exclusion zone” and says it should be 300mm wide and as far as 900m behind the line.
It also states: “The non-throwing player must stand whilst waiting for their throw.
“This position will be behind the throwing player and outside the exclusion zone in a position that does not obstruct officials or broadcast facilities.”
Expanding on the rule, it says: “The non-throwing player must not enter the exclusion zone behind or at the side of the oche until the throwing player has released the final dart of their throw.”
Analysing the footage from last night’s game, Van Gerwen‘s feet are inside the exclusion zone throughout Littler’s final visit to the oche.
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It is believed that the 34-year-old would have received a warning if the official spotted his infringement.
Van Gerwen’s encroachment saw him clash with Dimitri van den Bergh last year.
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The Non-Playing Position is referred to as “the position where the non-throwing Player must stand whilst waiting for his next throw, such position being behind the throwing Player and, if applicable, outside the Exclusion Zone in a position that does not obstruct Officials or broadcast facilities.”
On entering the area, it reads: “The non-throwing Player must not enter the Exclusion Zone behind or at the side of the Oche until the throwing Player has released the final dart of his/her Throw.”
It is the job of the second referee to spot the infringement.
Fans were unhappy with MVG going inside the area, one said: “If I was Littler I would have called out the encroachment in that last leg.”
Another added: “MVG always gets away with standing way into the encroachment zone, definitely had an effect there.”