A pair of Dutch female dart champions have quit their roles on the Dutch National women’s dart team, saying that they feel “ashamed” of competing against other women alongside a transgender teammate.
On Saturday, Noa-Lynn van Leuven, 27, won the women’s category at the PDC Women’s Series competition. Van Leuven, a transgender player, made history that weekend for winning tournaments in both the women’s and men’s categories.
But Van Leuven’s teammates on the women’s team, Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf, have made it clear that they are ashamed of having participated with van Leuven on the women’s team, according to GBN.
VICTORY FOR VAN LEUVEN! 🇳🇱
Noa-Lynn van Leuven clinches her maiden PDC Women's Series title in Wigan! 🏆
Van Leuven overcomes some late double trouble to defeat Irish youngster Katie Sheldon in the Event Two final! pic.twitter.com/fEnlFzMQk3
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 23, 2024
Anca Zijlstra posted a message to her Facebook page confirming her decision to pull out of the Dutch team and saying she was “ashamed” to be a teammate with a “biological male.”
Sky Sports reports that history has been made after Noa-Lynn van Leuven became the: ‘first woman to win darts Challenger Tour event on sensational debut’.
That’s no woman! @SkySports Noa-Lynn Leuven is a trans-identifying male who hit the headlines in 2023 after qualifying for… pic.twitter.com/Uyra1UJoER
— Women's Rights Network – WRN (@WomensRightsNet) March 16, 2024
“With pain in my heart,” Zijlstra wrote, “The moment when you feel ashamed to play for the Dutch Team because a biological man plays on the women’s team, it is time to go.
She went on to write, “I have tried to accept this, but I cannot approve or justify this.”
The 50-year-old player continued, “I believe that in sport, there should be an equal and fair playing field, which should be used and accepted in good faith.”
“After all, we have worked so hard to be relevant and competitive in this sport.”
“I am also resigning my position as players’ representative of the NDB with immediate effect,” Zijlstra wrote.
“To clarify: The umbrella organisations can decide for themselves whether they allow a trans woman to play in the men’s game, or a trans man to play in the women’s game.”
“I have always found it an honour to play for our country, and will always be open to returning to the National Team,” she added.
“I hope with all my heart and for all women’s sports that people come to their senses,” she exclaimed.
“This decision has not been light and very difficult, 1991 has been the first time I proudly put on the shirt for the Netherlands.”
Zijlstra’s teammate, Aileen de Graaf, also quit, writing, “At some point, you have to make choices when something goes against your feelings.”
The 33-year-old player added, “You have to do what feels right for you. Hence my decision to leave the Dutch team.”
For his part, van Leuven refused to comment on the two now former teammates and insisted, “I think the only unfortunate thing about this issue is that a lot of people forget that I am also a human being.”
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