Darts world champion Luke Humphries has thrown his support behind Dutch darts star Noa-Lynn van Leuven. (Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)
Darts world champion Luke Humphries has thrown his support behind transgender player Noa-Lynn van Leuven.
Having transitioned in 2021, van Leuven will make history as the first trans player to take part in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Championship, at Alexandra Palace next month. She made her debut in the Grand Slam of Darts at the weekend, having qualified through her placing in the PDC Women’s Order of Merit.
She was the first trans player to appear in a televised PDC tournament against men, with the tournament airing live on Sky Sports. And Humphries told everyone to “get on with it and play”.”
‘I wish her all the best’
He went on to say: “That group is a great challenge for her. She will enjoy the chance to play two of the greatest players that have ever been, Michael [van Gerwen] and Gary [Anderson].
“I don’t know Noa-Lynn very well, to be honest, I’ve only met her once before at the Women’s World Matchplay, on the day I was in the final. She has been doing great, playing well, so I wish her all the best.”
‘I just look at her as a darts player’
Van Leuven lost her first game, 5-0 to former world champion van Gerwen, before slipping to a 5-3 defeat at the hands of qualifier Ryan Joyce.
Humphries’ comments follow British star Deta Hedman forfeiting a quarter-final match to van Leuven at the Denmark Open in May. “I don’t get too involved in the politics, it’s not up to me to say whether it is right or wrong,” he continued.
“Whatever opinion I have, it wouldn’t matter. I just look at her as a darts player. She is in the competition on merit, she has not broken any rules, she is doing what she is allowed to do.”
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