Gerwyn Price admits he will have to ‘grin and bear’ whatever comes his way after ear defenders ban

Gerwyn Price has admitted she will have to ‘grin and bear’ whatever comes her way after being banned from wearing ear protectors at future darts events.

The former world number 1 stunned the Alexandra Palace crowd last month by donning ear protectors midway through his quarter-final match with Gabriel Clemens to block out the raucous atmosphere.

However, they did not have the desired effect and the 37-year-old was left out of the tournament after a turbulent week, in which he had also made an offensive gesture that seemed to mock the disabled.

Price was banned from wearing protectors as of now after the PDC clamped down on his rules.

The amended regulation states: “Players are not permitted to wear earphones, earphones, or earphone-type hearing protectors during pregame or during the game toss to the bull.”

Gerwyn Price has been banned from wearing ear protectors at future events after she shocked the Alexandra Palace crowd last month.

Price wore ear protectors to block out the rowdy crowd, but lost in the quarterfinals to Gabriel Clemens anyway.

However, Price will be allowed to wear noise-blocking earplugs if he wishes, something veterans Raymond van Barneveld and Mervyn King have already used.

But Price, speaking before the start of this year’s Premier League in Belfast tonight, said according to sky sports: ‘I used the hearing protectors once and I won’t use them again. It’s better to leave it at that if I’m being honest with you.

“I’m not a fan of the earplugs that Mervyn King uses. I just have to smile and take what comes my way like I have in recent years, and just play darts.

I’m here to play darts. I’m here to do the best I can, whatever comes my way. That’s all I can do, so I hope to play Belfast and Cardiff next week.

‘Hopefully I can reward the crowd again with some good darts and hopefully one or two nine darts too.

Price is preparing for the start of the Premier League season which kicks off at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

‘I want to do well in the Premier League right now. I’m here to win. Right here, right now, this is where I play well.’

Opening night, which sees world number 4 Price take on world number 9 Nathan Aspinall, will take place at Belfast’s SSE Arena with the play-offs returning to London’s The O2 on May 25.

The choice of ties on opening night sees Michael Smith take on Michael van Gerwen in a repeat of the World Darts Championship final.