RIGHT VANMAN

Dutchman gets snotty on the oche at anti-vaxxers: We must keep us all safe so we can play

CLOG ALMIGHTY Michael van Gerwen has urged his rivals to get the jab – out of professionalism, not just for access to tournaments and prize money.

All 96 players who entered the William Hill PDC World Championship have been vaccinated against Covid at least once, and Van Gerwen

applauds darts for leading by example.

But the three-time world champion fears some players are getting jabbed for the wrong reasons – and MVG gets worked up about it.

He said: “Of course, it is a matter of being professional. If everyone gets vaccinated, it makes life so much easier.

“Who am I able to decide and judge about that? For me, it’s easy. As players, we have to get vaccinated – it’s sport, it’s entertainment, it’s business. There is not another option, to be fair.

“People say, ‘We don’t know what is in it’ – but, on the other side, when they have a child and he needs things for polio or tetanus, who cares?

“I don’t really care. I am a pro-vaxxer, I hope everybody does it. Hopefully, it gets everybody back on track as soon as possible.

“I know of players who didn’t want to get vaccinated. One was refusing until the organisation told him, ‘OK, if you don’t get vaccinated, you won’t play at the World Cup’ – and all of a sudden he changes his mind – ‘OK, I will get my jab’.

“But that is the wrong thinking. If you are against it, you are against it, you won’t do it. People can do whatever they want.

“I want to make sure everyone gets their lives back. If you have to listen to the government, if you get your vax, if you get your booster as quick as possible, they cannot moan. They don’t have anything to moan about. You can live your life again.

“But if one test says you are positive, it’s bye, bye world championship. You cannot put yourself in that position – it’s unprofessional.” Van Gerwen decided to stay over in London for Christmas, instead of returning to Holland and running the risk of contracting Covid in transit.

He said: “I spoke to my manager about it and he told me the professional approach is to stay over.

“I decided to stay in London – no one judges me on that, no one cares. Back home, my wife and family tell me to do what I want to do.

“That gives me a good feeling, so Christmas Day will be a normal day – preparing myself for the next match.”

While Van Gerwen is up to speed with his vaccinations, he made a false start in his second-round win over Chas Barstow – by forgetting to take his darts on stage with him. He frowned: “That was a really f ****** stupid mistake. Amateurs. Simple as that.”

But he is ready to go toe-to-toe with world No.1 and reigning champion Gerwyn Price for the title. The ‘Iceman’ says he would relish a final against “the secondbest player in the world” – but Van Gerwen scoffed: “He has one thing right – he would be playing me in the final.

“The other thing is absolute nonsense. Deep in his heart, he knows, if I play my game, the other players are not even allowed to stand in my shadow.”

I just want to make sure that

everyone gets their lives back