Adrian Lewis handed suspension after antics in UK Open Qualifier.

Two-time World Champ in hot water with sports governing body.

Darts ace Adrian “Jackpot” Lewis has been handed a suspension by the Professional Darts Corporation after pushing opponent Jose Justicia during a UK Open Qualifying event on Friday.

The foul tempered match took place at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan behind closed doors but the game being streamed on the internet via the PDC website.

With Lewis trailing 4-3 Justicia hit a 177 shot to leave Double 12 when the initial war of words began. At the next visit to the oche going for the double he missed on the inside wire, chuckling to himself which clearing upset the Two-times former World Champion and after missing Double 6 went up to his opponent and said “Don’t try and p**s me off I’m telling you” before the chalker had to step in and separate both players.

Lewis then hit double top to level the game at 4-4 before pointing to his opponent as he retrieved his dart repeating the phrase he said moments earlier. Jackpot then went back and shouted in his face whilst Justicia laughed. Following this on stage melee the marker told both players “to sort it out”.

The game went down to a deciding leg with the scores level at 5-5. Adrian Lewis would go on to win the leg and match with a Double 7 at the end of a 84 checkout before Lewis again has words with his opponent and Security stepping in to separate both players afterwards leading the Potter, who missed out on the Premier League this year for the first time in 2007 away from the oche and the cameras.

After the match concluded the PDC initially tweeted that the incident had “been referred to the Darts Regulation Authority for immediate consideration.” A matter of hours after the initial tweet the Professional Darts Corporation on their website released a statement from the DRA which read; ”

Following a review of the incidents which occurred in his match with Jose Justicia at Friday’s UK Open qualifier, the Darts Regulation Authority has suspended Adrian Lewis with immediate effect pending a full investigation in to the matter. The player has the right of appeal.”

This means that Lewis, 33, is now suspended from at least the next 2 UK Open Qualifiers and leaves his chances of qualifying for the main tournament in Minehead in early March in doubt.