Trans Players Barred From Women’s Darts, Regulator Rules

Transgender players will no longer be allowed to compete in women’s darts tournaments following a decision by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA), which determined that only biological women may participate. The new policy follows a review by academic Emma Hilton, who has worked on issues of sex and sporting categories.

The DRA said the aim is to ensure fair competition, with the analysis suggesting that minor sex-based differences may accumulate in darts and create an advantage for men.

At the same time, the regulatory body stressed that it wants to remain inclusive, allowing all players, regardless of sex or gender identity, to compete in open tournaments. The new rules come shortly after an announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which also restricted women’s events to biological female athletes, with gender verification through a genetic test.

(reuters, max)