Transgender Women Barred from Competing in Female Darts Tournaments

The Darts Regulation Authority has announced a new policy, stating that only individuals assigned female at birth will be eligible to participate in women's darts tournaments. This decision was made after 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. The DRA claims that this policy change is necessary to ensure fair competition in the sport. Transgender athlete Noa-Lynn van Leuven, who has won six titles on the women's tour, criticized the decision, calling it a significant setback for the trans community. Despite this, transgender players will still be allowed to compete in open tournaments. The DRA has stated that it will continue to monitor developments in transgender participation in sports and review its Eligibility Policy annually. A report commissioned by the DRA found that darts is a 'gender-affected sport,' with physical differences contributing to superior scoring among male players. Van Leuven expressed her disappointment with the policy change in a video, stating that she has been forced into retirement and that the decision is not just about her, but about the entire trans community.