Michael van Gerwen dismisses stamping accusation during World Championship Semi-Final
Michael van Gerwen has denied claims he stamped on the stage during his whitewash win over Dimitri van den Bergh in the World Championship Semi-Finals on Monday.
Van Gerwen stormed to a 6-0 rout of Van den Bergh at Alexandra Palace with a tournament-high average of 108.28, dropping only four legs in the process.
A notable flashpoint in the match came during the third set when the pair exchanged words after a visibly frustrated Van den Bergh appeared to question whether Van Gerwen had been encroaching on the exclusion zone as he was about to throw.
Van Gerwen then seemingly urged the Belgian to pick up the pace before closing out the leg with a show-piece 170 checkout and staring his opponent down.
After wrapping up a comprehensive victory to move into his sixth world final, the three-time World Champion revealed in a fiery post-match press conference that he was accused of ‘stamping’ by Van den Bergh.
“He was complaining about something, but oh well, I would complain as well if I was playing like him,” said Van Gerwen.
“All the important moments in the game, I was the boss, I was the one who was in charge of the game.
“He said I was stamping. I didn’t stamp at all.
“The commentators were talking about it and I was standing in the exclusion zone.
“Just look towards my last 50-100 games where I stand in my game, just have a look.
“I always do the same, I never do anything to put someone off. But if they lose, they always have to say something.
“There’s no need for it, he was trying something that wasn’t there, otherwise he would say it afterwards in his interview as well and make it a big thing.
“There was not a big thing but people want to make it a big thing.
“If people accuse me of stamping then that’s something different, because I didn’t do that. If I did then I would tell you straight away because I don’t care.”
Van Gerwen will now take on Michael Smith in Tuesday night’s final, marking a repeat of their 2019 encounter which the Dutchman won 7-3 to claim the most recent of his three world titles.
As well as picking up the Sid Waddell Trophy and £500,000 top prize, the winner will also become the new world number one.
Words exchanged between Van Gerwen and Van den Bergh on stage 🗣️👀#WorldDartsChampionship pic.twitter.com/RpLXMuHEIE
— Live Darts (@livedarts) January 2, 2023
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