Gabriel Clemens on hate on the Internet before the World Cup at Ally Pally

Mith increasing success on the darts stage, the German number one Gabriel Clemens is increasingly struggling with hostility on the Internet. It is “unfortunately the truth that hate news has become a habit”, said the 38-year-old in an interview with “SPOX”: “It is mainly in the direction that my family and I want cancer or other diseases . Especially when it goes against the family, the fun stops for me. “

Clemens is one of four German starters at the World Championships in London’s Alexandra Palace (from December 15). Last year the Saarlander dethroned defending champion Peter Wright at the season highlight and became the first German to reach the round of 16. In the world rankings he is now ranked 25th.

“It is important to convey that to the outside world”

However, he had “the need to draw attention to the fact that in my life as a darts professional not everything is just sunshine,” said Clemens. The hate news made him “stunned and sad, especially since that unfortunately happens in every sport nowadays”.

However, Clemens also emphasized that he did not feel threatened, since the negative news was only a “small part”. Nevertheless, he thinks it is “important to convey that to the outside world”.

At the Darts World Cup in London in December there will be a German duel in the first round. Florian Hempel (31) meets Martin Schindler (25). The winner will face number five seeded Belgian Dimitri Van den Bergh in the sixteenth finals. A total of four German players qualified for the tournament in the “Ally Pally” (from December 15th). The only 16-year-old Fabian Schmutzler has to deal with Ryan Meikle, while former world champion Peter Wright (both England) is waiting for a win. The world number 25. Clemens only intervenes in the second round, the opponent is either Lewy Williams from Wales or the Japanese Toyokazu Shibata.