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Sports
Apr 09, 2026

Transgender Darts Star Noa‑Lynn van Leuven Barred from Women‑Only PDC Events After DRA Ruling

AI Summary
The Darts Regulation Authority has prohibited transgender player Noa‑Lynn van Leuven from all PDC women‑only tournaments, citing a report that darts is a gender‑affected sport with inherent male physical advantages. The move follows the IOC’s recent ban on transgender women in Olympic events and has prompted van Leuven to declare the decision effectively retires her from women's competition, though she may still pursue the open professional tour.

The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) announced that Noa‑Lynn van Leuven is barred from competing in any Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) women‑only events with immediate effect, after the governing body ruled that only biological females may participate in women’s tournaments.

Under the new policy, van Leuven – a 29‑year‑old who has claimed six titles in the PDC Women’s Series – will be ineligible for the series and the Women’s World Matchplay, a competition she was on track to qualify for this summer.

The DRA justified the decision by referencing a report commissioned from Dr Emma Hilton, a developmental biologist who has published extensively on sex categories in sport. The study concluded that darts is a "gender‑affected sport" and identified several physical differences that give males an advantage, including greater height, longer limbs, broader shoulders, increased muscle mass and stiffer tendons. These attributes, the report argued, enhance reach, stability and throwing mechanics, thereby influencing consistency and precision.

This ruling arrives shortly after the International Olympic Committee announced a ban on transgender women from female Olympic events, set to take effect at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Van Leuven responded on Instagram, describing the decision as a forced retirement. She wrote, "I just got an email… apparently I’m retired, not by choice, but because I am no longer allowed to compete." She added, "This isn’t just about me; it’s another huge hit for the trans community. Every day it is getting harder for trans people just to exist, to compete. If you think this stops with me, it doesn’t. We just want to be."

While barred from women‑only events, van Leuven could still aim for the open professional tour, which is gender‑neutral. Currently, Beau Greaves is the sole female player on the tour, and former women’s world champion Lisa Ashton held a two‑year tour card in 2020‑2021.