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Noa-Lynn van Leuven has hit back at criticism directed at her for being allowed to compete in women's events. The 29-year-old transgender star, who was born as a male in the Netherlands, became the first Dutch woman to qualify for the World Darts Championship last year . Despite winning the opening set in her first round match against Kevin Doets, 'The Dutchess' ended up falling to a 3-1 defeat and exited the tournament in round one. Earlier this summer, the World Darts Federation (WDF) decided to ban transgender players from their events. However, they are still permitted to compete in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) competitions and there has been no indication their position will change anytime soon. Speaking in an interview with Nu.nl , Van Leuven defended her position and admitted she won't get caught in a constant debate about her identity, as she prepares to compete at the World Championship once again. "I meet all the rules. Full stop. I'm not spending all day explaining who I am," she said. Recently, the Netherlands Olympic committee NOC*NSF released draft guidance for sports federations on transgender participation. It suggested that "fair competition" might not always be possible due to potential physical disadvantages in some sports across the world . Van Leuven wasn't best pleased with how that was portrayed in the public light, claiming that darts is a skill-based discipline, rather than a physical one. "The guideline is about grassroots sport, not elite sport," she said. "And darts isn’t about physical strength. No one wins because they’ve got a stronger backswing." At present, the PDC has not indicated any plans to change is eligibility criteria. But Van Leuven acknowledged that the landscape could move in the future. "If that happens, they'd basically be deciding my retirement," she said. "It wouldn't just affect me — it would affect the entire trans community." After enduring a period marked by online abuse, mental health battles and deep personal lows, Van Leuven has completed a powerful comeback by securing her spot at the World Championship in December. It comes just months after admitting she didn't know if she wanted to live. "A few months ago, I genuinely didn’t know if I’d still be around the following week," she said. "The fact I can now enjoy standing behind the board again feels like a miracle." The pressure on Van Leuven saw her struggle and endure serious mental health struggles. She took time away from her job and entered a period of depression. "I spent weeks in bed, watching shows and wondering what the point was," the 1996-born arrow-smith admitted. "Everything felt dark. I couldn’t see a way out." She is now back on a more positive path and is finding that hunger again. Bit by bit, the hunger came back," Van Leuven explained. "First practising, then local events — and now the World Championship again. I never would’ve dreamed of that a few months ago."
