Vincent van der Voort Reveals Details Behind Michael van Gerwen’s Viral Dispute

While the world’s top darts players were battling it out at the Swiss Darts Trophy, Michael van Gerwen found himself in the headlines for off-the-board reasons. A video circulating online shows the three-time World Champion caught up in a heated altercation at a kebab shop, prompting widespread attention and concern.

Michael van Gerwen had opted to skip the Swiss event — a move that raised no alarms given his secure qualification for the upcoming European Championships. However, instead of a quiet weekend off, footage of the incident went viral, bringing unwanted scrutiny to the Dutchman.

Van der Voort Offers Context: “He’s a Famous Dutchman — Things Escalated Quickly”

Speaking on the Dutch podcast Darts Draait Door, close friend and fellow pro Vincent van der Voort gave his version of the events.

“It happened after a night out,” Van der Voort explained. “When Michael walks in somewhere, it can stir things up — he’s a well-known personality in the Netherlands. It was busy, loud, and the staff were under pressure. There was a misunderstanding at the counter, and the man working there seemed to snap. He came at Michael, and others quickly got involved. They took it outside, and thankfully things de-escalated quickly. It wasn’t really a fight, but it was one of those situations that got out of hand fast.”

Van der Voort added: “He was supposed to be resting. Rest doesn’t mean staying out late eating shawarma or Turkish pizza. That’s not really the kind of preparation you want before a big run of events.”

Van Gerwen Responds: “The Wisest Thing Would’ve Been to Walk Away”

Van Gerwen has since acknowledged the incident and expressed regret over how things unfolded.

“With hindsight, the wisest thing to do would have been to walk away,” he said. “When people have had a drink, stupid things get said — and I’m no exception. It wasn’t smart on either side. What saddens me most is that it was all filmed.”

Eyes Now on Crucial Players Championship Events

While Van Gerwen’s form on the oche has improved — winning the German Darts Grand Prix and more recently defeating World Champion Luke Littler 11–7 to claim the World Series of Darts Finals — his focus now must return to the immediate challenge ahead.

He’s set to compete in the upcoming trio of Players Championship events in Leicester, aiming to qualify for the Players Championship Finals in Minehead. Currently sitting at a surprising 103rd in the Order of Merit, Van Gerwen is around £9,500 short of the top 64 cut-off.

Van der Voort expressed concern about the timing of the incident, especially with such pivotal tournaments looming.

“You want him to be fully focused on darts and his family. That’s the ideal,” he said. “Everyone’s allowed to blow off steam now and then, but these are important Pro Tours. You’d hope he’s spending this time practising and preparing.”