NOA-LYNN VAN LEUVEN has teased a “new chapter” in her darts career after being “retired” by rules against transgender players.
The Dutch star was left devastated after the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) announced transgender women will no longer be permitted to play in women’s events.
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Noa-Lynn Van Leuven has teased a ‘new chapter’ in darts after a ban from women’s events Credit: Rex
Van Leuven received the news via email and vented her frustration after “working so damn hard for years”.
She said the announcement “basically means I’m out”, but she has now posted an update on her career for her followers.
She wrote on Instagram: “Yep, it’s been a little quiet over here… life said “plot twist” and I needed a minute to catch up. But I’m back. Did you miss me?
“I’m still processing the decision made by the DRA and the PDC. It hasn’t been easy, and it still hurts. But deep down I know I’m not ready to walk away from this game.
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“That moment also meant my schedule suddenly opened up, and I’ve been using that time to explore WDF events and new opportunities within darts… and let’s just say, there are some exciting things ahead.
“New chapter loading… and trust me, you’ll want to see what’s next.”
But there are still other tournaments on the PDC circuit that are open to her as she considers her next move.
Despite the ban, she is now eligible to compete in the open category for men and women at darts tournaments.
Van Leuven admitted she was still ‘hurt’ after the announcement Credit: PA
She has received messages of support from the likes of Peter Wright since her ban Credit: Alamy
The Duchess made history as the first Dutch transgender woman to play at the Worlds in 2024.
Van Leuven also featured at Ally Pally last December but was knocked out in the first round after losing 3-0 to Peter Wright.
She has admitted she considered quitting the sport after her shock ban from the sport.
But Van Leuven revealed she has gained a new perspective after some time of reflection.
She told Oche180 last month: “It does motivate me to become a better player again. It is weird to not be able to play the women anymore in the WDF.
“But I can within the PDC. In the end, I am playing in the Dutch tournaments now in the open ranking and I quite enjoy myself in those.
“I knew it was coming but I didn’t know when or how. I didn’t even know when I was allowed to play anymore in the women’s [game].
“I was like, what am I going to do with my career now? Am I just going to stick to the PDC or am I going to try other things?
“I actually want to give it a shot now to play in the open and maybe some WDF tournaments.”
The 29-year-old has received horrendous social media abuse but insists she loves the sport too much to ever quit and is aiming to secure a spot on the professional circuit.
She added: “I just enjoy the game of darts too much. I keep coming back to it. I played in the youth and then I took a few years off regarding my transition as well.
“This year I want to keep improving and I see my game improving again. Hopefully I can actually aim for a Tour Card next year.”
