It’s been a difficult week for Dutch darts star Noa-Lynn van Leuven.
After years of rising through the ranks and smashing barriers in the sport, she now finds herself at the center of a painful debate.
The World Darts Federation (WDF) has just introduced a controversial new policy that bars transgender women from competing in women’s tournaments—and van Leuven is one of the players directly affected.
A Rule Change That Hits Close to Home
The WDF announced the policy change earlier this week, following a vote by its members.
The update now limits women’s competitions to those who were assigned female at birth, excluding trans women from these categories entirely.
Instead, players like van Leuven will only be allowed to participate in the Open Category, which includes players of all genders.
This decision came after a remit was proposed during a General Meeting in September 2024, where concerns were raised about fairness in women’s sports.
The final policy, effective as of July 28, 2025, formalizes those changes.
Van Leuven Breaks Her Silence
Van Leuven took to Instagram to share her thoughts in an emotional post.
While she acknowledged the ruling wouldn’t completely derail her current career, she admitted that it still stings.
“Once again, it’s a loss for the trans community in sports.
And that breaks my heart,” she wrote.
She went on to stress how important real, practical inclusion is—not just ticking boxes but making sure trans athletes feel like they truly belong.
For her, this decision represents yet another moment where the principle of “fairness” is used to exclude, rather than embrace, diversity.
“My heart goes out to all the athletes impacted by this. We remain visible. We keep going.”
WDF Responds to the Backlash
In a formal statement, the WDF said that its new rules are meant to bring clarity and structure to its tournaments.
As of now, events will be classified under four distinct categories: Open, Women, Open Youth, and Girls.
“We understand these changes may be challenging for people who want to compete in darts in the gender which they are now registered as,” said a spokesperson.
The WDF also said it’s working with its member countries to directly communicate with affected players and discuss the changes in more detail.
What This Means for Her Career Going Forward
Thankfully for van Leuven, the WDF’s ruling doesn’t affect her eligibility in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where she continues to compete.
She’s currently ranked 4th on the PDC Women’s Order of Merit, proving that her skill on the board remains unquestionable.
In 2024, van Leuven made history by becoming the first Dutch woman to qualify for the PDC World Darts Championship, although she was knocked out in the first round by Kevin Doets.
Just this month, she also made it to the semi-finals of the Women’s World Matchplay in Blackpool.
Harassment and Mental Health Struggles
While her accomplishments are remarkable, the road hasn’t been easy.
Van Leuven previously revealed she received disturbing death threats in the lead-up to the 2024 Ally Pally tournament.
The abuse took a toll on her mental health, highlighting the ugly side of public scrutiny for trans athletes.
Michael van Gerwen Shares His Support
Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen stood by van Leuven, calling the situation “heartbreaking.”
“She does what she does and she can play terrific darts,” he said.
“Let her play nice. For me, there’s never been a discussion.”
He added that these kinds of decisions are never easy and that no matter what direction the rules take, someone will always disagree.
Still, he emphasized that continuing to argue achieves little.
Fans Protest at Blackpool—And Get Kicked Out
The controversy reached new levels during the recent Women’s World Matchplay in Blackpool.
Three women claimed they were ejected from the Winter Gardens after staging a protest against van Leuven’s inclusion.
The protest occurred just as she was making her entrance, drawing attention away from the darts and toward the ongoing gender debate.
Despite the drama, the tournament went ahead as planned.
Top players including Beau Greaves and Fallon Sherrock competed, but it was Lisa Ashton who ultimately took home the trophy.
The Bigger Picture: Sport, Identity, and Fairness
The conversation surrounding trans athletes continues to grow louder across multiple sports.
While governing bodies aim to balance fairness and inclusion, athletes like van Leuven find themselves caught in the middle—fighting not just for titles, but for recognition, respect, and the right to play.
For now, van Leuven remains focused on her game and committed to staying visible.
She may no longer be allowed to compete in certain tournaments, but her voice—and her talent—are not going anywhere.