Darts bans transgender women from competing in women's tournaments
The Darts Regulation Authority banned transgender women from competing in women's darts tournaments, effective immediately. The ruling affects players like Noa-Lynn van Leuven, who became the first transgender woman to play at the World Championships in 2024.
The Darts Regulation Authority has banned transgender women from competing in women's darts events, ruling that darts is a 'gender-affected sport.' The decision takes effect immediately and impacts the PDC Women's Series tournaments.
The ruling directly affects Noa-Lynn van Leuven, a Dutch player who made history as the first transgender woman to compete at the World Darts Championships in 2024. Van Leuven can no longer participate in the PDC Women's Series under the new rules.
This follows an earlier decision by the World Darts Federation in July 2025, which changed its eligibility rules to restrict women's competitions to those assigned female at birth. That rule was voted on during the WDF Europe Cup in Slovakia.
Van Leuven strongly criticized the decision, calling it 'another huge hit for the trans community.' She has expressed uncertainty about the next steps in her professional darts career following these restrictions.
The darts ban mirrors similar decisions made by other sports organizations worldwide regarding transgender athlete participation in gender-specific competitions.
This decision reflects a growing trend in sports organizations restricting transgender athletes from competing in categories matching their gender identity. It affects professional careers and raises broader questions about inclusion in competitive sports.
Watch for potential appeals or legal challenges to the ruling, and responses from other darts organizations.
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