Noa-Lynn Van Leuven's 'not done fighting' after transgender women banned from competing in women's tournaments

“This isn’t just about me” – Noa-Lynn Van Leuven has vowed she is “not done fighting” after darts’ governing body enacted rules banning transgender women from competing in women’s tournaments.

The 29-year-old has won six titles on the women’s tour since joining in 2022 and made history by becoming the first transgender woman to play at the World Darts Championship in 2024.

Although transgender women will be able to continue competing in open tournaments, as outlined in the Darts Regulation Authority’s ruling announcement on Thursday, Van Leuven expressed her dismay at the decision.

“Apparently, I just got retired – not by choice, but because I’m no longer allowed to compete,” Van Leuven said in a video on her Instagram account.

“I’ve worked so damn hard for years just to get here. I showed up, I competed. I respected the sport every game, every single day,” van Leuven said. “And now, with just one decision, I’m being told I don’t belong anymore. This isn’t just about me. This is another huge hit for the trans community.”

The DRA said in a statement that it began a review of its policies in 2025. It included commissioning a report from an academic developmental biologist, who has published several papers on sex and categories in sport. The DRA also said it considered “extensive legal advice”.

“As a result of its review, the DRA is satisfied that to achieve fair competition in darts, only biological females should be eligible to compete in women’s tournaments regulated by DRA Rules,” it said.

Van Leuven’s journey

Going by the name ‘The Duchess’, Van Leuven had been working in a kitchen as a chef de partie at her local restaurant in Heemskerk, a small town near Amsterdam, when she decided to open up to her family and friends about transitioning.

Trailblazer Van Leuven made a big impact on the circuit, becoming the first trans woman to play in a TV tournament at the Women’s Matchplay in 2023 before making more history by winning a Challenger Tour event in 2024.

She secured her spot at the 2025 Worlds after producing a staggering 109.64 record-breaking average to win Women’s series 21 against Beau Greaves.

Twelve months later, she sent a message to the LGBTQ+ community after qualifying for Ally Pally for a second straight year, saying: “Just be yourself, do whatever you like to do. Just love the game.”

Van Leuven received a largely positive reaction from fellow women’s players, including three-time women’s world champion Greaves, and Fallon Sherrock, but her Dutch compatriots Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf pulled out of the national team because they did not want to play alongside Van Leuven.

Deta Hedman also forfeited her quarter-final match at the PDC Women’s Series after being drawn against Van Leuven in protest at her inclusion.

Hedman had previously withdrawn from matches against trans competitors, but this was the first instance in the PDC system.

Van Leuven, who most recently represented her country at the Four Nations Cup, initially found herself unable to compete when the World Darts Federation (WDF) banned trans women from competing in women’s-only Matchplay in 2025.

Last month, the president of the IOC, Kirsty Coventry, announced a blanket ban on transgender women, as well as athletes with differences in sex development (DSD), from Olympic women’s sport, to take effect at the Games from 2028.

Van Leuven referenced the ban in her statement on social media, saying: “This isn’t just about me. This is another huge hit for the trans community, especially after recent decisions made by the IOC [International Olympic Committee].

“Every day it’s getting harder and harder for trans people just to exist, to compete. If you think this stops with me, it doesn’t. We just want to be.”

MVG and Humphries support

Speaking last year, Michael van Gerwen, described the WDF’s decision to ban her as ‘heartbreaking’.

“She does what she does and she can play terrific darts,’ the seven-time Premier League champion, said. “Let her play nice. For me, there’s never been a discussion but I don’t make the rules.

“The PDC has people who go over them. They can never make the right choice anyway. If they go left, people say they should go right and vice-versa. Everyone has an opinion about it, but there is no point at all in continuing to argue.”

Van Leuven has described some of her female opponents as “toxic b******” because of their behaviour towards her, and speaking at November’s Grand Slam of Darts, former world champion Luke Humphries said she has done nothing wrong.

“It’s not up to me to say whether it is right or wrong. Whatever opinion I have, it wouldn’t matter. I just look at her as a dart player,” Humphries said of Van Leuven, who was eliminated in the group stages.

“There are so many different opinions that get thrown around. It would be nice if people let her get on with it and play.

“Unfortunately, I think that the world can be a negative place, and people just want to abuse people and bring them down

“Of course I have sympathy for her because she is a human and no one likes being abused online. But she gets it a lot.”

Van Leuven ‘not done fighting’

For Van Leuven, the support of her childhood hero Van Gerwen and Humphries was a huge boost that she appreciated as the media frenzy grew around her.

“When I saw the interview with Luke Humphries or MVG I was like, that’s actually pretty nice of them. They don’t have to do that, but they did and I really appreciate that,” she said.

“It feels much warmer. It’s a good experience.”

Speaking ahead of the 2026 Worlds, where she was beaten in the opening round by Peter Wright, Van Leuven said: “I just want to play darts and have fun.”

In a written message with the video posted on social media on Thursday, she added: “This isn’t the end. I’m just going back to the drawing board. I’m not done fighting.”

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