Trans darts player Noa‑Lynn van Leuven spoke out after gender-critical protesters were removed from Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, where she was playing the Betfred Women’s World Matchplay. As she walked toward the oche, protesters unfurled a banner reading ‘He’s a man’ and were ejected by security. Noa-Lynn van Leuven went on to win her opening match before being eliminated in the second round. Following the incident, van Leuven took to Instagram to thank her supporters: “Honestly, you lot keep me going (even when my darts don’t :sweat_smile:).” While she described her performance as not what she hoped for, she added: “Just being up there was already a win in itself.” She concluded with resolve: “Sometimes showing up is the victory… now it’s time to reset, refocus—and come back sharper. The journey continues—and I’m not done yet.” #NoaLynnvanLeuven #LGBTQIA #transathletes #darts #WomensWorldMatchplay #sports