Deta Hedman sticks to her guns as darts star withdraws from another tournament amid trans row

Hedman said at the time: "I'm not playing against a man in a women's event."

And the veteran has now stuck to her guns by choosing to withdraw from a women's singles tournament run by the United Kingdom Darts Association.

Hedman beat Patricia Roberts and Barbara Legge before being pitted against transgender star Sam Lewis.

Explaining her decision on Facebook, the 64-year-old said: "Re my forfeiting my match on Saturday, not much was discussed about my being right or wrong in my decision not to play a transgender person.

"But more of an attack on my literacy skills and choice of words!"

Lewis recently told Devon Live that she doesn't feel like she has an advantage over her female rivals.

JUST IN:'Disqualify them' - Olympic officials told to boot Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz out of doubles draw

"That was very disheartening getting that message because I've always wanted to go down there and play in that competition," she said after being blocked from playing at the English Darts Open.

"I finally get the chance to and then I'm told I'm not allowed, just because of my gender identity. It's broken to me.

"I don't feel like I have an advantage over natural-birth women.

"It's all to do with the practice you put in."

READ MORE:England add another name to next manager shortlist as three 'favourites' emerge to replace Gareth Southgate

As for Hedman, the darts star insists she has 'no issues' with transgender athletes.

But she's called on chiefs to create an open category to maintain fairness.

Writing on Facebook last week, she said: "I have no issues with Trans but they should play in an open section IMO."

She added: I questioned why it is that the rule makers in IOC, WDF and DRA are predominantly men, they totally disregard the many and varied problems unique to women, menstrual, peri menopause, fibroids, Endometriosis, with symptoms varying from stomach cramps, brain fog, bleeding, headaches/migraine, hot intense flushes etc.

LATEST SPORTS NEWS:

• Luke Littler shows off weight loss with fans blown away just days after Eloise Milburn split
• Novak Djokovic makes complaint after thumping Olympics win over Rafael Nadal
• Olympics fans convinced Clare Balding made X-rated blunder during BBC coverage - 'I'm not mishearing am I?'

"All these problems are ignored, and considered that they don't affect your performance in a precision sport like darts.

"Add to that the ridiculous testosterone levels set for a trans to play in Women's darts!

"If they achieve a level of 9.9mnol/L they can play, the normal range of women is between 0.5-2.4mnol/L, I myself have tested at 1.2.

"To make this even more ridiculous 5 African women born with vaginas but had varied organs including inner testicles were banned from sport as their testosterone levels were too high, they were told they had to reduce their levels not to 10mnol/L ( the level a trans can compete in sport) but to 5mnol/L, so athletes born as a woman to compete had to be half the level of a biological male who would compete in women's sports.

"All I want is to compete in darts on a fair and level playing field.

"As been stated by many studies around the world you can have inclusivity in women's sport or you can have fairness in Women's sports ! YOU CANNOT HAVE BOTH.

"Why don't the WDF and DRA as a compromise drop the testosterone limit to the above high end of Women and set it as 3mnol/L, they would still have the skeletal advantages of going through puberty as a male but at least their levels would be at a similar level to some of the women."