Esbjerg, Denmark — A British darts champion has withdrawn from multiple tournaments after being drawn to face a transgender competitor, highlighting ongoing debates about eligibility policies in women’s sports.
The Denmark Open Withdrawal
Deta Hedman withdrew from the Denmark Open last weekend after being drawn to face Noa-Lynn van Leuven at the quarter-final stage of the competition. The British darts veteran, who has been a fixture in women’s darts since the 1980s and is a three-time WDF World Champion runner-up, chose not to compete in the match.
Initial reports suggested Hedman had withdrawn due to illness, but she clarified her reasoning on social media, stating that her decision was based on her personal views regarding eligibility criteria for women’s competitions.
Hedman explained her perspective, noting that while she respects people’s right to live authentically, she has concerns about eligibility policies in women’s sports competitions.
Different Perspectives in the Sport
This wasn’t an isolated incident for Hedman. In October 2025, she also withdrew from the PDC Women’s Series when drawn to face van Leuven in the quarterfinals.
Hedman’s position has found support from some in the darts community. British pool player Lynne Pinches, who made a similar decision regarding competition in 2023, expressed understanding for the difficult choices players face regarding these issues.
Former Dutch national team members Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf also stepped down from the national team, citing their own concerns about eligibility policies. Van Leuven has stated that some of the comments made during these incidents have been personally difficult to experience.
Van Leuven’s Competitive Record
Noa-Lynn van Leuven, a 28-year-old Dutch player, has achieved notable success in darts competition. She won Women’s Series 21, defeating the women’s number one ranked player Beau Greaves 5-3 in the final, and qualified for the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship, becoming the first transgender woman to compete at the Alexandra Palace.
Van Leuven has competed in both women’s events and mixed-gender tournaments, achieving victories over top-ranked players including Greaves and Fallon Sherrock.
At the same time, van Leuven has received support from prominent players in the sport. World champions Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen have expressed support for her participation, with Humphries noting that she is competing within the established rules.
Organizational Policies
The Professional Darts Corporation has maintained its eligibility policy regarding transgender athletes. PDC chief executive Matt Porter explained the organization’s approach: “Ultimately, we came up with a policy that we believe to be fair. We respect the fact that not everybody agrees with that and we accept that it’s not a unanimously accepted position.”
The PDC follows the Darts Regulation Authority’s policy, which is based on International Olympic Committee guidelines. These guidelines include requirements for hormone levels and consistent gender identity over time.
Following a 2025 UK Supreme Court ruling on sex and gender in equality law, Porter stated that the PDC would maintain its current policy approach.
Different Organizational Approaches
While the PDC maintained its existing policy, the World Darts Federation adopted a different approach. The WDF released a new gender-eligibility policy in August 2025 that limits participation in women’s competitions to those assigned female at birth.
The policy change followed a vote at the WDF General Meeting where member nations voted on the eligibility criteria for women’s tournaments. The WDF stated it understands the changes may be challenging for affected players and has been working with member countries to communicate directly with them.
Personal Impact
The ongoing controversy has had a significant impact on van Leuven personally. In January 2025, she announced she would take a break from competitive darts to focus on her mental health.
In a candid social media post, she shared: “The truth is, my mind hasn’t really been in the right place for a while. I’ve been struggling with my mental health for months, and every time a tournament comes up, I’ve tried to push it aside.”
After the WDF policy change, van Leuven reflected on the broader implications: “It’s a loss for the trans community in sports. As a trans person in the darts world, I know how vital inclusion is — not just on paper, but in practice.”
Ongoing Conversation
These incidents reflect broader conversations in sports about how to create fair and inclusive competition. Different stakeholders hold sincere concerns about how best to balance various considerations in women’s sports.
Some athletes and advocates emphasize concerns about competitive fairness and the preservation of women’s sports categories. Others prioritize inclusion and argue that appropriate eligibility criteria can address competitive concerns while allowing transgender athletes to participate.
The debate has intensified across multiple sports, with different organizations reaching different conclusions about eligibility policies. In darts specifically, the PDC and WDF have adopted different approaches, reflecting the complexity of these questions.
As sporting organizations, athletes, and advocates continue these conversations, the darts community—like many sports communities—is working to navigate questions about eligibility, fairness, and inclusion that don’t have simple answers.
