Trans darts champ who beat Irish player gets horrific online abuse
Sports star says she wants to play game ‘without the hassle’
A TRANSGENDER darts player who beat top Irish ladies champ Katie Sheldon in a Women’s Series final has been targeted with online abuse.
Dutch player Noa-lynn van Leuven, 28, won the PDC Women’s Series Two event with a 5-2 victory over Dubliner Sheldon on Saturday.
The victory came a week after van Leuven also picked up a win on the Men’s PDC Challenge Tour.
However, the player who transitioned at 17, says she often gets negative comments online, with fans suggesting she should not be allowed to play in women’s events.
Van Leuven said: “I just want to do my thing, but it seems like people have to comment.
“They often don’t even read what is written. They immediately have the reflex.” The Dutch woman says she has also been disappointed at comments from ladies darts legend, Deta Hedman, who penned an extensive argument against trans women playing in women’s darts.
Hedman has argued that trans women have an advantage, as they do not experience menstrual complaints.
Speaking about Hedman’s comments, van Leuven said: “Yes, that did do something to me. There’s a constant search for new points. Then everyone goes wild.”
Van Leuven’s win over Katie Sheldon comes just weeks after Irish ladies pool champion Kim O’brien refused to play transgender competitor Harriet Haynes and forfeited the European Championship pool final.
As the game was about to begin, O’brien shook the hand of her opponent to show that she was conceding the match.
Haynes, who transitioned from male to female 10 years ago at the age of 23, was put in a similar situation last year.
Lynne Pinches refused to compete against the Kent-based cueist, claiming she made her decision in “pursuit of fairness”.
Speaking about that, van Leuven admitted she did fear ladies darts players could refuse to play her.
She said: “Something like that is in the back of my mind. I don’t know what it would do to me.
“You can say ‘thank you, I will be one round ahead’, but yes .... we all want to do what we enjoy, darts without the hassle.”
I just want to do my thing, but it seems like people have to comment NOA-LYNN VAN LEUVEN ABOUT HER ABUSE ONLINE