ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Northern Irish darts player Josh Rock claims a pre-match trip to the washroom cost him a Premier League win.

Rock was facing a recent quarter-final match against Dutch player Michael van Gerwen at the AFAS Dome in Antwerp. Shortly before his walk-on, Rock decided to use a backstage toilet.

But after his dramatic 6-2 loss the 24-year-old claimed the soap he had used in the washroom had affected his play and lost him the match.

"Obviously you wash your hands after going to the toilet, so I put the soap all over my hands," he told the press after the tournament. "But it just obviously took all the oils out of my finger and lost all grip."

The incident - labelled "soapgate" by a Sky Sports commentator - has attracted controversy with some players claiming Rock was simply making excuses for his performance on stage, in which he recorded a low average of 79.

However, other experts say harsh soap can strip the natural oils from the fingers, making them too clean and dry which can cause the darts to slip. Fixes include licking the fingers to restore friction - a remedy Rock claims he tried.

"I knew I couldn't grip my hands and no matter how much I was trying to lick my fingers, rub my finger up and down a barrel to get my fingers rough, it wasn't working," he said.

Rock now carries chalk and wax with him to avoid a repeat of the incident.