Noa-Lynn van Leuven: It’s terrible for trans people at the minute to play sports

Noa-Lynn van Leuven says it is “terrible” to be a transgender person playing sport.

Van Leuven made history by becoming the first trans player to compete at the World Championship on Tuesday, losing in the first round to Kevin Doets.

The governing bodies for sports like cycling, swimming and athletics have banned transgender competitors from women-only events, arguing they retain physiological male advantages and citing the need to protect the female category.

The Professional Darts Corporation has a more inclusive policy, allowing her to play against other women and men, but she has still not had it easy, complaining of hate from other women on the tour, with Deta Hedman refusing to play her.

“The PDC have been really supportive, they stand behind their own rules, and that is how it is right now,” said the 28-year-old, who transitioned in 2021.

“It is great to see what they are doing. If you look at other sports, you can see what they are doing, it’s easy to ban trans people.

“Or if you have gone through puberty in the UK you can’t play anything. It’s terrible. One of the most important things is to be just you and do whatever you want.

“It’s terrible, why can’t people just be themselves? I think if we look at it, I have seen trans people getting banned. It is terrible for trans people at the minute to play any sports.”

Van Leuven qualified for the World Championship based on her results in the Women’s Series.

Her performances have come despite hostility from fellow players on the tour, who Van Leuven describes as “toxic b******” because of their behaviour towards her.

“I guess it’s my love of darts, I love the game,” she said.

“I just want to play darts, why does it matter who you are?

“I just play darts, it is just the love of the game, anyone who is discriminating against me or is being terrible about me, it says more about them than me.”