The World Darts Federation (WDF) has introduced new eligibility rules that ban transgender women from competing in its women’s tournaments, forcing Dutch player Noa-Lynn van Leuven out of the category with immediate effect.

The decision was finalised on Monday after a vote by WDF members, nearly a year after the proposal was first submitted in September 2024.

The new rule limits participation in women’s events to players who were assigned female at birth. Transgender women will now only be eligible to compete in the open category, which includes male players.

“We understand that these changes may be challenging for individuals wishing to participate in these tournaments,” the WDF said in a statement. “The WDF has directly contacted its member countries so as they can discuss these changes with affected players directly.”

The change means Van Leuven, one of the few openly transgender players on the international circuit, is no longer eligible to take part in WDF women’s competitions, despite meeting the gender criteria of the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA), which oversees the sport more broadly.

She remains eligible to compete in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where she has already broken new ground. Last year, Van Leuven became the first Dutch woman to qualify for the PDC World Championship, and she played in the Women’s World Matchplay in Blackpool on Sunday.

The issue of trans women’s participation in elite sport has led to rule changes in several disciplines. World Athletics and World Aquatics are among the organisations to exclude transgender athletes who went through male puberty from women’s international competitions.