Darts Regulation Authority Implements Immediate Ban on Transgender Women in Professional Events

The Darts Regulation Authority restricts women's tournaments to biological females, ending the female-circuit career of Noa-Lynn van Leuven.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 10, 2026, 8:12 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from BBC News

The Immediate Implementation of Sex-Based Eligibility

The Darts Regulation Authority, the primary governing body for the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), announced a definitive shift in its Trans and Gender Diverse Policy this week. Under the new regulations, only individuals recognized as biological females at birth are eligible to participate in women-specific professional tournaments. The DRA stated that the decision was reached following a comprehensive review initiated in 2025, aimed at ensuring "fairness and integrity" within the women’s division of the sport.

Impact on Top-Tier Transgender Competitors

The ruling has immediate and profound consequences for Noa-Lynn van Leuven, who made history in 2024 as the first transgender woman to compete in the PDC World Championship. In a social media statement, van Leuven described the policy change as an "enforced retirement" from the women’s circuit. While she remains eligible to compete in open tournaments, which are available to all genders, van Leuven argued that the decision marginalizes transgender athletes and removes their ability to compete in specialized professional categories.

Biological Advantage and Scientific Consultations

In reaching its conclusion, the DRA commissioned a specialized report from Dr. Emma Hilton, a developmental biologist and trustee for the advocacy group Sex Matters. Dr. Hilton’s research suggested that even in non-contact sports like darts, cumulative sex-based physical differences provide a measurable advantage to biological males over females. The DRA noted that these small-magnitude differences, when aggregated at the professional level, justify the maintenance of a protected category for biological women to ensure a level playing field.