Michael van Gerwen, a three-time world champion, was unexpectedly attacked in a bar during a public holiday in the Netherlands. The incident occurred on King’s Day in Den Bosch, where Van Gerwen was punched in the face by a stranger.
Van Gerwen stated that the attack felt like it came out of nowhere. Security guards intervened and stopped him from pursuing the aggressor. The attacker later apologized via Instagram.
Despite the incident, Van Gerwen returned to Premier League action shortly after. He faced Luke Humphries in a quarter-final match and lost with a score of 6-3.
His management confirmed that Van Gerwen did not provoke the situation and was not at fault. Footage of the incident circulated online after it occurred.
Van Gerwen has been ranked world number one between 2014 and 2021. He has also won the Masters five times in a row.
The incident raises questions about player safety during public appearances. However, no further actions have been reported regarding the aggressor, as Van Gerwen decided not to press charges.
