World Darts Federation – Transfeindlichkeit im Darts: WTF WDF?

In the darts, men and women compete in the same competitions. Five years ago, darts player Fallon Sherrock dominated the headlines of sports reporting because she was the first woman to win a man at the World Cup. Men have no obvious advantages over physical terms if they throw the an average of 22 grams. Darts is primarily mental sport. On average, however, the female darts professionals do not play at the same level as their male opponents. This is structural, because significantly more men practice sport, usually come into contact with it earlier, so that they start to play earlier and be encouraged earlier. That is why exclusive women’s tournaments take place.

Noa-Lynn van Leuven is one of the best players in their sport. But at the world championship of women, it will no longer be allowed to compete in the future. Because Van Leuven is a trans woman, born organically as a boy – and therefore officially excluded from tournaments of the World Darts Federation (WDF) since July 28th.

WDF contradicts itself

For classification: According to the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), the WDF is only the second most important darts association for women’s competitions, but the only darts association that organizes its own world championship for women. The PDC organizes more lucrative tournaments for women, but no exclusive World Cup. Instead, the PDC reserves four starting places for women at the World Cup, which is open to all genders. For this, the female darts players qualify over the Women’s Series of the PDC. The other qualification paths are open to all sexes. At PDC, trans athletes are also allowed to continue to compete in women’s competitions, at WDF-the association in April still expressed the opposite: “Until clearer studies on visual spatial differences (in trans women), the WDF will continue to allow transgender athletes to participate in ranking tournaments for women,” wrote the association on its website. The studies in question do not yet exist. Nevertheless, the association chose the U -turn.

Noa-Lynn van Leuven expressed her disappointment on Instagram: “The decision makes me personally, but it is not so hard at that moment.” The more important tournaments of the PDC can continue to play, the decision to participate in the World Cup at the end of October. “Nevertheless, it hurts,” writes the Dutchman. The decision is a further defeat for the trans community in sport. “My heart breaks.” At the same time, she encourages other trans athletes: “We remain visible. We continue. “

Hate and resistance

It is not the first resistance that van Leuven has met in her career. Only a few days before the WDF decision, the 28-year-old played the Womens World Matchplay in Blackpool, an event of the PDC. Three women in the audience protested against van Leuven’s participation and called her discriminatory insults; One of them held up a poster with the inscription “He is a man”. The group was ordered by security from the hall, PDC managing director Matt Porter raged: “The scum that was thrown towards NOA-Lynn is completely unacceptable.” The player himself reacted: “I love this game too much, why should I let my passion for darts sport ruin myself?”

Van Leuven has to deal with hate again and again. There were threats of murder against her from the net, so that she confessed to some people feel uncomfortable in public, for fear that the threats could be nearby. While male darts professionals expressed their support, there is always resistance to van Leuven among women: the English darts player Detail Hedman refused to take part in a game against van Leuven. Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf resigned from the Dutch national team in protest against their compatriot.

Van Leuven was already able to invalidate some of the allegations: “Sometimes I am accused of having advantages due to my height. But take a look at Phil Taylor. ”The Brit is considered the best darts professional ever, won sixteen world championships and many other titles. With a size of 1.73 meters, however, the Brit is smaller than most of its opponents. The best player, Luke Littler, is also not much larger at 1.75 meters. Van Leuven also said that there were people who came out of handball with an examination, according to which there were differences in the litter between men and women, specifically when it comes to a return and the failure movement. “So when I last played darts, I did neither a back swing nor a rash. It is fucking darts. What are we talking about? “