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Featured Image Credit: Sky Sports/World Darts Championship
Topics: Darts
Nasir Jabbar
Gerwyn Price has been slammed by fans online, with Sky Sports forced to apologise over his 'deeply inappropriate' gesture.
The world No.1 beat Jose de Sousa 4-1 on Thursday to book his spot in the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship.
But his gesture in the third leg of the fifth set of his victory at Alexandra Palace has angered people on social media.
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After missing a third consecutive triple 20, the Welshman made a gesture that upset many viewers.
He stuck his tongue beneath his bottom lip and placed his hands out in front of him.
Fans online interpreted it as an insult to disabled people as they hit out as his offensive behaviour on the oche.
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One Twitter user wrote: "This reaction from Gerwyn Price is not OK and is deeply inappropriate."
A second tweeted: "Gerwyn Price your reaction to this is awful, shame on you!"
A third said: "Gerwyn Price is a disgrace. I can't believe he done that."
A fourth added: "Absolutely shocking from Gerwyn price. Just shows what kind of person he is."
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Another commented: "What was this from Price at the darts? This is disgusting behaviour. This was after he missed a shot. Sky Sports, this is not OK."
Presenter Emma Paton subsequently issued an apology live on air during the Sky Sports broadcast.
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) told SPORTbible: "Gerwyn has been reminded of the standards expected of him as a professional.
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"He has stressed to us that it was a spontaneous gesture and he did not intend for it to cause offence.
"He is upset to think that anyone may think otherwise and would like to apologise sincerely for any distress he may have caused."
Price, who won the World Darts Championship in 2021, will return to action in the New Year.
He will face Gabriel Clemens or Alan Soutar in the next round of the tournament.
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Speaking after beating de Sousa, the 37-year-old said: "I ground out a win. I just wanted to get up there and win, it doesn't matter about the performance.
"It was just one of those games where I had to get over the winning line, and that is what I did.
"I was battling against myself and against him, but it is what it is - you come up against certain players and circumstances, so you just have to deal with it.
"I felt comfortable through the game and always felt I was going to win, it was just a matter of time."