British darts star demands rule change after forfeiting match against transgender rival

Female British darts star Deta Hedman has issued a lengthy post on Facebook calling for the sport’s lawmakers to limit the level of testosterone players can have in their system in order to compete professionally. The three-time World Championship finalist forfeited her match against transgender opponent Noa-Lynn van Leuven at the Denmark Open in May, refusing to take to the oche.

She has stood by her stance not to play against trans players, telling German media: “I’m not playing against a man in a women’s event.”

Hedman has since released a lengthy statement on social media highlighting the differences between male and female players, claiming that trans competitors should not be allowed to play until their testosterone levels are significantly lowered.

“I have no issues with Trans but they should play in an open section IMO,” Hedman wrote after revealing that she attended a presentation night in Rochester on the subject matter.

“I questioned why it is that the rule makers in IOC, WDF and DRA are predominantly men, they totally disregard the many and varied problems unique to women, menstrual, perimenopause, fibroids, Endometriosis, with symptoms varying from stomach cramps, brain fog, bleeding, headaches/migraine, hot intense flushes etc.

“All these problems are ignored, and considered that they don't affect your performance in a precision sport like darts. Add to that the ridiculous testosterone levels set for a trans to play in Women's darts! If they achieve a level of 9.9mnol/L they can play, the normal range of women is between 0.5-2.4mnol/L, I myself have tested at 1.2.

“To make this even more ridiculous 5 African women born with Vaginas but had varied organs including inner testicles were banned from sport as their testosterone levels were too high, they were told they had to reduce their levels not to 10mnol/L (the level a trans can compete in sport) but to 5mnol/L , so athletes born as a woman to compete had to be half the level of a biological male who would compete in women's sports.

“All I want is to compete in darts on a fair and level playing field. As (has) been stated by many studies around the world you can have inclusivity in women's sport or you can have fairness in Women's sports ! YOU CANNOT HAVE BOTH.”

Express Sport has contacted the IOC, DRA and WDF for comment.

Hedman compared the recent averages at the World Matchplay, won by Luke Humphries and Beau Greaves, insisting that in order for trans players to be allowed to compete they need to lower their testosterone levels to a maximum of 3mnol/L.

“Why don't the WDF and DRA as a compromise drop the testosterone limit to the above high end of Women and set it as 3mnol/L, they would still have the skeletal advantages of going through puberty as a Male but at least their levels would be at a similar level to some of the women,” she continued.

“Constantly we are being told no reason why men and ladies can't play at the same level,' she wrote. Chizzy (Dave Chisnall) had lowest average of the 32 men with an 85.76 Ave, 5 men had 100+ tournament, Ave 23 had a 90+, and 4 had Ave of 85-89.

“In ladies only Beau beat Chizzy's Ave, and Mikuru (Suzuki) only one to have an 80+ running Ave. The range of the 8 ladies in the event was 63.25 to 88.53, the men's was 85.76-102.04.

“Dr Linda Duffy has shown studies that back up the science that men have over women in darts, including Shoulder and elbow formations that are different in men who have been through puberty.”

Dutch star Van Leuven has also seen her international team-mates Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf refuse to play alongside her, but she issued a stern response to Hedman after her forfeit in Denmark.

"It is said that I went into transition to perform better, that is totally untrue,” Van Leuven told talk show Sophie and Jeroen. “I have never seen anyone who has gone through the years of misery of transition only to perform better afterwards.

"All we want is to be ourselves. As trans people, we want to be respected. I'm Noa-Lynn, I'm a woman and I just want to do what I love to do and happen to be good at, and that's darts."