Gerwyn Price has apologised for a gesture deemed by some as offensive to disabled people during his victory over Jose de Sousa at the Alexandra Palace.
Welshman Price sailed through to the quarter-finals of the PDC World Championship despite failing to produce his best darts on Thursday night. But his 4-1 last-16 triumph was marred by a gesture on the oche that some construed to be mocking the disabled as he showed frustration during the fourth-round clash.
Targeting a 180 maximum with two consecutive treble 20s, Price hit a poor third dart into the single 5 - before sticking out his tongue behind his bottom lip and holding out his hands in disgust.
Sky Sports had to make an apology for many disgruntled viewers who took exception to Price's actions on the live broadcast.
And, via a PDC statement, Price has now issued an apology for 'any distress he may have caused' with the incident. "Gerwyn has been reminded of the standards expected of him as a professional," the statement read.
"He has stressed to us that it was a spontaneous gesture and he did not intend for it to cause offence.
"He is upset to think that anyone may think otherwise and would like to apologise sincerely for any distress he may have caused."
Price will face German underdog Gabriel Clemens in the last-eight on New Year's Day as he targets his second Sid Waddell trophy.
"I just wanted to get up there and win, it doesn't matter about the performance," he said after cruising past De Sousa. "It was just one of those games where I had to get over the winning line, and that is what I did.
"I was battling against myself and against him, but it is what it is - you come up against certain players and circumstances, so you just have to deal with it.
"I felt comfortable through the game and always felt I was going to win, it was just a matter of time."
