Luke Humphries has made his feelings clear over the historic debut of transgender darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven.
World champion Humphries urged everyone to ‘get on with it and play’ as he backed the transgender athlete ahead of her history-making weekend.
Van Leuven is set to write herself in the history books as the first transgender competitor to play against men in a major darts tournament.
Humphries and Van Leuven are taking part in the Grand Slam of Darts, with the latter facing Dutch compatriot Michael van Gerwen in Group G later on Saturday evening.
Gary Anderson and Ryan Joyce are also in the group with the Dutch duo, whilst Humphries will face James Wade, Mickey Mansell and Rowby-John Rodriguez.
It will be a tough opening match for Van Leuven as she faces three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen, but Humphries is optimistic.
“I think she [Van Leuven] will enjoy – that group is a great challenge for her. She will enjoy the chance to play two of the greatest players that have ever been, Michael and Gary,” Humphries said.
“I don’t know Noa-Lynn very well, to be honest – I’ve only met her once before at the Women’s World Matchplay, on the day I was in the final. She has been doing great, playing well, so I wish her all the best.”
It comes just six months after Deta Hedman boycotted the Denmark Open quarter-final, admitting she ‘struggled with transgenders playing in women’s world-ranked events’.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Hedman – who debunked claims that she withdrew due to illness – posted: “No fake illness, I said I wouldn’t play a man in a woman’s event”, causing backlash on social media when she misgendered Van Leuven.
“People can be whoever they want in life, but I don’t think biological-born men should compete in women’s sports,” Hedman continued.
But Humphries quashed the debate by speaking out on the topic. He said: “I don’t get too involved in the politics – it’s not up to me to say whether it is right or wrong.
“Whatever opinion I have, it wouldn’t matter. I just look at her as a darts player. She is in the competition on merit, she has not broken any rules, she is doing what she is allowed to do.”
The darts competition in Las Vegas gets underway on Saturday night with teenage sensation Luke Littler in action against Ireland’s Keane Barry.
