Luke Littler and Gian van Veen's Fiery Darts Spat Continues to Rumble On
The fallout from the bizarre on-stage row between teenage darts prodigy Luke Littler and Dutch rival Gian van Veen shows no signs of abating. The pair clashed dramatically during the quarter-finals of the Premier League event in Manchester on April 2, a match that Van Veen ultimately won. Their heated exchange has sent shockwaves through the darts community, particularly given their previous cordial meeting in the World Championship final back in January.
The Incident That Sparked the Controversy
The tension erupted after Van Veen missed a golden opportunity to secure victory, glaring at Littler in apparent frustration. Littler responded by throwing his arms up, urging the Dutch star to return to the oche. The situation escalated further when Littler made a 'crybaby' gesture towards his opponent. Following the match, the 19-year-old Brit added fuel to the fire by sharing an image of Van Veen's angry comments on his Instagram stories, accompanied by three laughing emojis. He also posted a roll of honour highlighting his career accolades, widely interpreted as a pointed dig at his rival.
Littler's Girlfriend Defence for Fist Pump
In a subsequent interview with Online Darts, Littler offered an explanation for one of the most contentious moments. He claimed that the fist pump which appeared to antagonise Van Veen was actually directed at his girlfriend, Faith Millar, and her father who were seated in the crowd. "When he come inside the double 15, I looked up, had a drink of my water and then I done a little fist bump towards Faith and her dad," Littler stated. "The fans started on that side - they were all screaming - so I was like that to them, 'Come on.' And then the whole arena... but then there was no need for Gian to look back and stare at me." Littler insisted that Van Veen should have focused on his final dart rather than reacting to the celebration.
Sky Sports Pundit Expresses Shock at Behaviour
Former BDO world champion and Sky Sports analyst Mark Webster has voiced his astonishment at the confrontation, particularly defending Van Veen's conduct. "I was a bit flabbergasted by it all, really," Webster told Paddy Power. "I don’t see what the problem was for Luke, and I think Gian conducted himself really well. Gian naturally turned around in disappointment after missing the match dart and Luke was just geeing up the crowd. I think Gian took a bit of reservation to that but I don’t think there was any need for the sort of reaction after [from Littler]." Webster emphasised that Van Veen composed himself admirably to secure the win, while urging Littler to refocus ahead of their potential rematch in Rotterdam.
Van Veen's Response and Future Relations
The 23-year-old Van Veen has revealed that he has not spoken to Littler since the incident, and relations remain strained. Speaking to Swedish streaming service Viaplay, the Dutchman said, "No, we haven't spoken. He hasn't approached me either. I saw his reaction on social media. He thought it was funny. Well, I don't think things will be very friendly between us anytime soon. I'm here for myself. He's a fantastic darter, the world No. 1, so what he does for the sport is great, but I care little about what he thinks of me." However, world number two Luke Humphries believes the spat will quickly fade from memory, predicting that "in two weeks it'll all be forgotten."
Despite the controversy, darts referee Huw Ware noted that both players maintained professionalism by shaking hands after the match. The darts world now watches closely to see if this rivalry will reignite when Littler and Van Veen potentially meet again in the Premier League in Rotterdam.
