Darting superstar Michael van Gerwen was punched in the face by a stranger during a bar fight on King’s Day, a national holiday in the Netherlands.
Shocking footage of the three-time world champion being punched in the face during a bar brawl has been shared online.
Van Gerwen was also seen talking to a man and a woman at a bar in Den Bosch when the man suddenly punched the Dutch star in the face.
The 37-year-old man tried to pursue the assailant, but was stopped when two security guards subdued him.
He told Dutch sports news website Sportnieuws.nl: “The guy obviously had too much to drink and it felt like his anger was coming out of nowhere.
“He was just about to head for the exit when he suddenly started a rant. Of course I was wrong to chase him, but it was an automatic reaction.
“That guy obviously knows he was wrong because he apologized on Instagram.”
Mr van Gerwen decided not to prosecute those responsible.
His management, MODUS Sports Management, issued a statement regarding the viral video, clarifying that their client did not provoke the man and is not responsible.
The statement read: “We are aware that footage of the incident involving Michael van Gerwen has been circulated.
“He did not cause the situation and was not at fault. As this is a private matter, we will not comment further.”
Van Gerwen returned to action in the Premier League at Aberdeen on Thursday, losing to Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals.
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Michael Bridge and Chris Murphy discuss who is the best Dutch darts player of all time on Love The Darts
What’s happening on Leeds’ Premier League night 14
The 2026 BetMGM Premier League season continues in Leeds with Luke Humphries aiming for his third successive win at the First Direct Arena.
The reigning champions will face Josh Lock in the quarter-finals, while league leader Luke Littler begins a tantalizing nightly battle with Van Gerwen.
Gerwyn Price and Johnny Clayton will face off against each other Welshmen in next week’s opening match, while Jan van Veen and Stephen Bunting will also be battling it out for a place in the semi-finals.
Ranking points will be awarded each night, with five awarded to the winner, three to the runner-up and two to the semi-finalists, forming a league table where the top four players will advance to the final night at the O2 in London on Thursday 28th May.
Who will win this year’s Premier League Darts? Luke Humphries will defend his title and the fight can be seen on Sky Sports every Thursday until May. Stream darts and other top sports now.
