- Van Leuven will face Kevin Doets in the first round on Tuesday afternoon.
- He has previously spoken of receiving death threats for playing sports.
- The 28-year-old has now opened up about the possible reception she is expecting.
Transgender darts star Noa-Lynn van Leuven has suggested that “everyone wants to see me lose” ahead of her Ally Pally debut on Tuesday.
Van Leuven will face Kevin Doets in the first round of the World Championship in the afternoon session for a chance to face former champion Michael Smith in the second round.
She has faced adversity in the tournament preparations, receiving death threats, while her teammates Aileen de Graaf and Anca Zijlstra refused to play with her and English player Deta Hedman against her.
Van Leuven, 28, who began her gender transition as a teenager, has broken into the women’s rankings in recent months by winning multiple titles and completing her hormone therapy in 2022.
She became the first transgender player to compete in the Grand Slam of Darts last month and qualified to play in the World Championships at Alexandra Palace for the first time this Christmas.
Meanwhile, in the run-up, he has opened up about the kind of reception he expects when he takes to the stage in London.
Transgender darts star Noa-Lynn van Leuven has suggested that “everyone wants to see me lose” ahead of her Ally Pally debut.
Van Leuven will face Kevin Doets in the first round of the World Championship on Tuesday.
If victorious, she will face former world champion Michael Smith.
“It seems like everyone is against me,” he told Welt am Sonntag. ‘I know that’s not the case, but sometimes I feel that way. In any case, they want to see me lose.’
PDC chief executive Matt Porter insisted last month that the current policy on transgender players is “fair”, giving Van Leuven the green light to compete on the biggest stage.
Still, both men and women compete equally in the tournament, with Fallon Sherrock set to face Ryan Meikle in the first round for a chance to face Luke Littler in the second round.
The focus has generally been on the star competing in women’s events, with Hedman arguing: “People can be whoever they want in life, but I don’t think biologically born men should compete in women’s sports.”
Van Leuven spoke again about the discrimination she has faced, suggesting she has no advantage over other women on the oche.
“Sometimes they accuse me of having an advantage over others because of my height,” he said. ‘But look at Beau (Greaves). We are the same height. Or look at Phil Taylor. He’s beaten everyone and he’s a little guy.
‘Others see a supposed advantage in the movements of my hips. I would be different from the women of the CIS. Then there are those who propose a study of handball, according to which there are differences between men and women in throwing, specifically in the backswing, and also in the lunge movement.
‘So the last time I played darts, I didn’t do a backswing or a lunge. They’re damn darts. What are we talking about?