The organizers of the 32nd Darts World Championship considered scheduling their first-round match on Tuesday during prime time (from 8 PM), but ultimately seemed hesitant to follow through with this idea. However, if Noa-Lynn van Leuven wins her opening match at the legendary Ally Pally against her Dutch compatriot Kevin Doets, she will throw in the second round against former world champion Michael Smith during the main evening program on Thursday (also when Austria’s only representative, Mensur Suljovic, competes against Matt Campbell). She would make history as the first transgender woman to participate in the World Championship.
Until the final on January 3, the Alexandra Palace in London will once again be the focus of the sports world, as athletes of various backgrounds attempt to reach zero points from 501 as quickly as possible. While the participants and the atmosphere are already unique, the World Championship has consistently provided extra sparks of controversy. In 2019/20, fans celebrated with Fallon Sherrock over the first match victory by a woman, and in 2023/24, the championship debut of 16-year-old Luke Littler, who reached the final on his first attempt, caused a stir. This year, it is Van Leuven who is igniting a massive controversy.
After the Dutchwoman, who was born male, completed her transition in 2022, the 28-year-old secured a World Championship ticket through the “Women’s Series.” However, this success has not encountered universal approval. Van Leuven has faced extreme hatred online since then. “Someone wrote to me: If you follow my girl into the women’s restroom, I will kill you,” the dart player recently shared in a podcast. Within the darts community, Van Leuven also faces rejection. “This issue creates a lot of fear in the sport that I love. People can be whoever they want to be in life, but I don’t think biologically born men should compete in women’s sports,” said Deta Hedman, who feels deprived of her World Championship spot due to Van Leuven’s participation.
This is the critical point that Hedman raises in the delicate topic of “transgender women in sports,” even though this biological difference does not manifest in darts, where the physical advantage of men over women does not come into play. This is one reason why tournament director Matt Porter is defending Van Leuven: “The filth that has been hurled at Noa-Lynn is completely unacceptable. The association will ensure that she is mentally well.”
On the same day that the Darts World Championship kicked off in London, another decision was made. The British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) announced that from 2025, all transgender women would be excluded from competing in the women’s category at national tournaments in the top divisions. The decision is justified by the need to maintain equality of opportunity. “It is clear that tennis and padel are gender-specific sports, with the average man having an advantage when playing against the average woman. This advantage is likely to remain significant for transgender women, potentially making competition unfair,” stated an LTA release.
