Noa-Lynn van Leuven has responded firmly to criticism surrounding participation in women’s darts, insisting that eligibility is fully compliant with competition rules and that endless debate over gender identity will not become a distraction ahead of the next World Championship appearance.
The 29-year-old Dutch darts player made history last year by becoming the first woman from the Netherlands to qualify for the PDC World Darts Championship.
The player, known to fans as The Dutchess, won the opening set of a first-round clash against Kevin Doets before eventually losing 3–1.
Despite the early exit, the achievement marked a major milestone in professional darts and sparked widespread discussion about transgender participation in sport.
Earlier this year, the World Darts Federation (WDF) announced a ban on transgender competitors in its events, a move that drew international attention and divided opinion within the sport.
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), however, continues to allow transgender players to compete, and there is currently no sign of that policy changing.
In an interview with Nu.nl, Van Leuven defended the right to compete and emphasised that personal identity should not be up for public debate.
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“I meet all the rules. Full stop. I’m not spending all day explaining who I am,” Van Leuven said.
The conversation around transgender inclusion in Dutch sport intensified recently when the Netherlands Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF) released draft guidelines suggesting that “fair competition” might not always be achievable in every discipline because of potential physical advantages.
Van Leuven expressed frustration over the way the proposals were discussed in public, arguing that darts relies on precision, focus and composure rather than strength or speed.
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Trans star Noa-Lynn van Leuven has won darts titles against men and women in the past
| INSTAGRAM“The guideline is about grassroots sport, not elite sport,” Van Leuven said.
“And darts isn’t about physical strength. No one wins because they’ve got a stronger backswing.”
The PDC has yet to signal any plans to revise its eligibility framework, but Van Leuven acknowledged that a future change could have life-altering consequences.
“If that happens, they’d basically be deciding my retirement,” Van Leuven said.
“It wouldn’t just affect me — it would affect the entire trans community.”
The journey to the world stage has not been without hardship. Van Leuven has spoken openly about the toll of online abuse, depression and the uncertainty that followed.
Transgender darts star Noa-Lynn van Leuven is allowed to compete in PDC events
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The darts star revealed that, earlier this year, the emotional strain reached a breaking point.
“A few months ago, I genuinely didn’t know if I’d still be around the following week,” Van Leuven said. “The fact I can now enjoy standing behind the board again feels like a miracle.”
During the lowest moments, daily life became a struggle.
“I spent weeks in bed, watching shows and wondering what the point was,” Van Leuven recalled. “Everything felt dark. I couldn’t see a way out.”
That period of despair has since given way to a determined resurgence.
The passion for darts has gradually returned, building from quiet practice sessions to local tournaments and now another appearance on the sport’s biggest stage.
“Bit by bit, the hunger came back,” Van Leuven said. “First practising, then local events — and now the World Championship again. I never would’ve dreamed of that a few months ago.”