Cameron Menzies has revealed that he has no feeling in his fingers after he exploded with rage and smashed his hand into a table in distressing scenes at this year’s World Darts Championship.
Rising star Charlie Manby beat the Scotsman 3-2 in their first round meeting at the Alexandra Palace, but few were prepared for Menzies’ incensed reaction.
The 36-year-old attempted to burn his hand on a pyrotechnic before repeatedly punching a table, leaving his hand covered in blood.
After beating Ritchie Edhouse at the Poland Darts Open on Friday, Menzies shared that such was the damage he sustained during the outburst, he considered walking away from his career.
‘It was finally good to play well but I’ve been struggling massively,’ Menzies said via Oche 180 after the 6-4 win in Kracow.
‘I’ll be honest with you, a few times I’ve felt like wrapping it. I’m just not in a good place that way.
Cameron Menzies showed the extent of his scarring after badly injuring his hand last year
The 36-year-old piled punches into his drinks table after losing to debutant Charlie Manby
‘Obviously what happened at the Worlds, I’ve done a lot of damage to myself. Basically I’ve no feeling in my fingers anymore because of the damage I’ve done.
‘I couldn’t feel my fingers for six weeks. I had to go through surgery. I’ve still to go through hand treatment and trauma.
‘I’ve made a massive mistake in my life. You can see the scar. I have to live with that.
‘I was lucky it was not as bad as what it could have been. I’m not proud of it. I’m lucky I can still play because it could have been severed. So I had to see a hand specialist. No words could explain how I felt at that time.
‘I was stupid and I have to deal with it.’
In the aftermath of the incident, Menzies opened up about the recent loss of his uncle Gary in the build-up to the event, with his funeral falling on the same day as a potential second-round match.
‘Let me say again, that’s no excuse for what I did on the stage,’ Menzies stressed in a later statement. ‘It was the wrong thing to do and I don’t want it to take anything away from Charlie.
‘He played well and deserved his win. This is not how I would like people to view me. Yes I can get emotional at times, but not like that and that wasn’t right.’
Menzies was left with a bleeding hand after he fired three punches into the table in an outburst of rage which was booed by the crowd
Footage later showed the player seemingly trying to burn his hand before taking his anger out on a table
Menzies also shared in December that he had apologised to Manby directly.
‘He understood that I was caught up in my own moment of frustration and that it was nothing personal towards him, or his win,’ Manby revealed in a social media post.
‘It was very important to speak to him about that, and I am grateful he never once thought I was directing anything at him.
‘A huge thank you to everyone who has reached out with messages of support – it really means a lot. My hand is on the mend. Sorry again for last week! Hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and New Year.’