Transgender Women Barred from Competing in Female Darts Tournaments

The Darts Regulation Authority has announced a significant change to its policy, stating that only individuals assigned female at birth will be eligible to participate in women's darts tournaments. This decision follows a thorough review of the organization's Trans and Gender Diverse Policy, which included a report by a developmental biologist and consideration of extensive legal advice and recent UK court rulings. As a result, the DRA has replaced its previous policy with a new Eligibility Policy and Rules for open and women's tournaments, effective from April 5, 2026. The decision has been met with criticism from Noa-Lynn van Leuven, a transgender woman who has won six titles on the women's tour since joining in 2022. Van Leuven expressed her disappointment and frustration, stating that the decision is 'another huge hit for the trans community.' Despite this change, transgender players will still be allowed to compete in open tournaments. The DRA has emphasized its commitment to inclusivity and encourages all players to participate in open tournaments, regardless of their biological sex, legal sex, or gender identity. The organization will continue to monitor developments in relation to transgender participation in sports and review its Eligibility Policy annually. A report commissioned by the DRA in 2025 found that darts is a 'gender-affected sport' and identified multiple physical differences that contribute to superior scoring among male players. The report's author, Dr. Emma Hilton, noted that these differences accumulate to generate a male advantage over females in darts. Van Leuven has qualified for the last two editions of the World Darts Championship through the PDC Women's Series and was a semi-finalist at the 2025 Women's World Matchplay. She expressed her dismay at the policy change in a video on Instagram, stating that she has been 'retired' against her will and that the decision is not just about her, but about the entire trans community.