PDC Bans Trans Women From Women’s Darts Tournaments

The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) has banned transgender women from competing in women’s darts events, effective April 9, 2026. The governing body, which oversees the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), stated that only biological females are eligible to participate in women’s tournaments regulated by DRA Rules.

This decision follows a comprehensive review of the DRA’s Trans and Gender Diverse Policy, a process that began in 2025. As part of this review, the authority commissioned a report from an academic developmental biologist who has published research on sex and categories in sport. The DRA also sought and considered extensive legal advice before finalizing the policy change.

The DRA stated that the new guidelines are necessary to achieve fair competition within the sport. While the organization noted that it seeks to be inclusive, it maintains that the biological female requirement is essential for the integrity of women’s events.

Impact on Noa-Lynn van Leuven

The ruling has immediate consequences for Noa-Lynn van Leuven, a 29-year-old player from the Netherlands. Van Leuven had previously competed in the PDC Women’s Series and made history in 2024 as the first transgender woman to compete in the PDC World Championship.

Following the announcement, Van Leuven shared her reaction in a video posted to her Instagram account, stating that the decision had effectively retired her. She noted that she was informed of the decision via email and expressed that the ban was not by her own choice.

I’ve worked so damn hard for years just to get here. I showed up, I competed. I respected the sport every game, every single day. And now, with just one decision, I’m being told I don’t belong anymore. This isn’t just about me. This is another huge hit for the trans community.

Noa-Lynn van Leuven

Despite being barred from women-only events, Van Leuven remains eligible to compete in open tournaments for both men and women. However, she indicated that the loss of access to women’s competitions is a significant blow. In a written message accompanying her video, she stated that she is not done fighting and is going back to the drawing board.

Arguments for the Policy Change

The decision has been supported by the sex-based rights charity Sex Matters. The organization argued that while the physical advantages of men in darts might appear small, those advantages accumulate to create an unfair environment for biological female players.

Sex Matters highlighted the historical context of the sport, noting that darts has traditionally been a male-dominated world played in clubs and pubs, with the top-ranked players all being men. The charity asserted that this environment makes it necessary for women to have their own protected tournaments.

The Darts Regulation Authority followed the lead of the old, unfair IOC [International Olympic Committee] policy, so it’s great to see this rapid return to fairness for women players.

Sex Matters

Eligibility and Future Competition

The new guidelines apply to all DRA-regulated women’s tournaments, which includes the PDC Women’s Series. The DRA has encouraged all players to continue their participation in the sport through open categories, regardless of their legal sex, biological sex, or gender identity.

The policy shift marks a definitive move toward biological sex-based eligibility for women’s professional darts, ending the previous period of inclusion for transgender women in these specific events.