Van Veen Maintains Stance on Littler Conduct While Offering Olive Branch
Dutch darts star Gian van Veen has declared his willingness to "bury the hatchet" with world champion Luke Littler following their highly publicised on-stage confrontation, yet he remains unwavering in his criticism of his rival's behaviour during the incident.
The Manchester Spat That Sparked Controversy
The two players engaged in a heated exchange during their Premier League quarter-final match in Manchester two weeks ago. The flashpoint occurred when Littler appeared to celebrate Van Veen missing a crucial match dart, subsequently gesturing for his opponent to return to the oche. The tense encounter concluded with a frosty handshake and spilled over into social media commentary in the days that followed.
Littler has since denied celebrating the missed dart and stated publicly this week that it was time for both players to move on from the controversy. However, Van Veen continues to stand by his original assessment of the world champion's conduct, which he previously described as "childish" in nature.
No Hard Feelings But Unchanged Opinion
When questioned about potentially clearing the air with his rival, Van Veen offered a nuanced response. "It's a difficult one. Like for myself, not really. He said his piece the other day," the Dutch player explained. "I still have the same view as I had two weeks ago when it all happened and if he wants to bury the hatchet then fine."
Van Veen emphasised that he holds no personal animosity toward Littler despite their sporting disagreement. "I don't have any hard feelings towards him and I don't know how it is the other way around but we'll see how it goes," he stated. "He's got his opinion and he's entitled to it. I still have mine, I still have the same opinion as I had two weeks ago, straight after the incident happened."
The 23-year-old Dutchman confirmed he has reviewed footage of the incident multiple times and remains convinced of his interpretation. "I've looked back at it, I've seen the videos and I still stand by my opinion and you know, it is what it is and we'll just have to go forward with it," Van Veen asserted.
Potential Rotterdam Reunion and Future Friendship
The simmering rivalry could be reignited as early as Thursday's Premier League event in Rotterdam, where Van Veen would enjoy home advantage if both players progress to the semi-finals. The Dutch star must first overcome Luke Humphries in his quarter-final match, while Littler opens against Gerwyn Price in his section of the draw.
Despite their recent tensions, Van Veen envisions a potential future friendship with the world champion and hopes the two competitors can face each other again soon in a sporting context. Asked whether they could develop a friendly relationship, he responded: "For sure. Like I said, there's no hard feeling from my side. It's all happening in the heat of the moment and of course, you know, he's got his opinion, I've got mine but yeah, that's how it goes."
Needle in Darts: Good for Sport When Not Personally Involved
The two-week controversy has generated significant discussion within darts circles, with some commentators suggesting that top-level players are often too amicable with one another. Van Veen offered an interesting perspective on this debate, acknowledging that a degree of competitive "needle" can actually benefit the sport - provided he isn't directly involved in such tensions.
"I enjoy it but only if I'm not involved. I think that's the best for me," Van Veen admitted with a smile. "I think it's good for the sport to have a bit of needle here and there but you never want to be involved."
Other notable fixtures in Thursday's Rotterdam event include home favourite Michael van Gerwen facing Jonny Clayton, while Josh Rock takes on Stephen Bunting in the remaining quarter-final matches. The tournament promises high drama regardless of whether the Van Veen-Littler rivalry receives another chapter this week.
