Trans player Noa-Lynn van Leuven says darts has given her something to live for following her transition.
The 27-year-old joined the Women’s Series in 2022 after transitioning the year before and she created history by becoming the first trans woman to play in a televised darts tournament in July when she played in the Women’s Masters in Blackpool.
The Dutchwoman believes she would no longer be alive if she had not transitioned but is now able to live out her dream.
“I think if I didn’t have the transition, I wouldn’t be here anymore,” she told the PA news agency. “The last two years before I transitioned were terrible for me, I was depressed, I wasn’t having fun in life.
“I didn’t have anything to live for, I wasn’t in a good space. Then I realised I am trans, I should do something with that or I am not going to make anything out of my life.
“I went to the doctor and then went into the programme.
“Since the transition it has been three or four years until I started playing darts again. I was playing darts for nine years and I was missing something in life and then I started playing darts again, I missed the game, I missed the people within darts.
“It is a dream to come true, the years before I transitioned I didn’t even have any dreams. I wasn’t happy.
“Now I am happy again and I have so much to live for. I really love darts, I love playing it, I love meeting new people and travelling and that is all possible because of darts.”
Her journey has not been entirely smooth, though, as she revealed she receives animosity from other players, who she believes want her banned.
“It’s been coming from some players, male players, female players but I think a lot of them are getting educated so that makes it easier for me,” Van Leuven, who has passed stringent transitioning tests, added.
“Most of the time it is behind my back, I have heard from a few friends that players have gone up to them and said we need to get her banned, this isn’t OK.
“But also more terrible things. It sucks but I try not to let it get too much into my head. It is very hard, it has been tough for the last two years. There are a few trans players but I guess I am the only one who can throw really good darts, so they want to get rid of me. What’s the easiest way to get rid of? To get me banned so they don’t have to play me.”
Van Leuven was speaking to mark this year’s Rainbow Laces campaign, with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) supporting the movement by adopting the colours of the trans flag for the PDC logo on-stage at last weekend’s Players Championship.
She added: “A lot of the players are getting educated so that makes it easier for me. The PDC are really helping in educating people.”
Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-1 Netherlands: Koeman's side wrap up group stage campaign with away draw
Netherlands ended their Group A3 campaign in the Nations League with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina at Stadion Bilino Polje on Tuesday.
Ronald Koeman's side, who had already secured their place in the quarter-final heading into the final group fixture, finished with nine points - five fewer than group winners Germany.
Brian Brobbey gave a second-string Oranje the breakthrough in the 24th minute when he headed home a cross from Noa Lang following a short corner kick.
But Ermedin Demirovic scored on the rebound, after Edin Dzeko's initial effort was stopped by goalkeeper Mark Flekken, to help Bosnia salvage a point in the 67th minute, as the hosts finished bottom of the group with two points.
Earlier, Dzeko's shot was cleared off the line by Jorrel Hato in the first half and the Bosnia captain also had a goal ruled out for a foul in the build-up just past the hour mark, before Sergej Barbarez's side found the leveller.
Data Debrief: Bosnia's spirited comeback
The home side ended the first period without registering a single shot on target and only creating an expected goals (xG) of 0.54, compared to the Netherlands' xG of 1.29.
But they were a much-improved side after the break as they restricted the visitors to zero shots on target while recording three of their own to secure a point. They ended the second half with an xG of 0.46, which bettered the Netherlands' xG of 0.37 despite being lower than their first-half effort.
Prior to this fixture, Bosnia and Herzegovina had lost all four of their 2024-25 Nations League matches in which they were losing at half-time. But they fought back this time to end their League A stay with a draw.
Van Dijk and De Jong leave Netherlands squad on 'medical grounds'
Virgil van Dijk and Frenkie de Jong have left the Netherlands’ squad ahead of their final Nations League game on "medical grounds".
Both players featured in the Oranje's 4-0 victory over Hungary on Saturday, a match which confirmed their place in the quarter-finals.
Van Dijk, who has been an ever-present for Liverpool in the Premier League this season, played the full 90 minutes in Amsterdam but will return to his club for further assessment.
De Jong, meanwhile, returned to the Netherlands line-up for the first time since September 2023 in that victory, having missed the previous 18 international matches due to injuries.
The Barcelona man was taken off after 68 minutes, and had confirmed after the game that he would not be featuring on Tuesday, but has now opted to return to Spain instead of staying with the national squad.
"For both Frenkie and Virgil, it is better for them to leave the training camp at this moment. That decision was taken on medical grounds, with of course, the interest of the players coming first," Koeman is quoted as saying on the Netherlands' X account.
The Netherlands will finish second in Group A3, with their result against already relegated Bosnia-Herzegovina unable to affect the standings.
De Jong insists confidence will improve following Netherlands return
Frenkie de Jong believes his confidence will improve with more playing time after returning to the Netherlands starting line-up for the first time in over a year.
De Jong received widespread praise for his return to the national side in their 4-0 victory over Hungary as they confirmed a Nations League quarter-final spot on Saturday.
The midfielder returned for Barcelona in October after a six-month absence due to an ankle injury, while his last appearance for the Dutch national team came against the Republic of Ireland in September 2023.
He missed 18 matches for the Netherlands during that period, including their Euro 2024 campaign in which they reached the semi-finals before being knocked out by England.
Against Hungary, De Jong played 68 minutes and made more passes in the final third than anyone else on the pitch (31), while he also made 12 final third entries, the second-most behind team-mate Jan Paul van Hecke (17).
"I still need some time to really get into top form", said De Jong. "After an injury, I usually felt I would get back into form quickly, now after this injury that is really different.
"I need to gain back my confidence in doing certain things on the pitch. I knew it would be this way and so people are not worried. It should improve from now onwards.
"I'm happy to be back! I need games, I need rhythm, and then my good form will return. I will not start the next game, but I will stay with the national team."
Ronald Koeman was also delighted with the influence De Jong had on the side after such a long absence and is confident he can help the team going forward.
"You saw his qualities in a number of moments", said Koeman. "He helped us to create a lot more chances."
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