American former college sports star Riley Gaines has offered to refund Deta Hedman the prize money she missed out on by forfeiting her Denmark Open quarter-final against transgender darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven.
Hedman, who has been a vocal critic of rules allowing transgender players to compete in women’s darts tournaments, refused to play Van Leuven in Esbjerg and missed out on the chance to fight for a spot in the semi-finals.
When it was reported by a journalist on social media that Hedman had told tournament organisers she could not play due to illness, the 64-year-old directly responded: “No fake illness, I said I wouldn’t play a man in a ladies event. Don’t listen to @phillbarrs he knows sweet [f*** all], nor does his reliable source.”
Hedman’s decision to forfeit the match has been met with a mixed response. But prominent podcaster Gaines, who swam competitively for the University of Kentucky, was among those to show strong support.
“I must get into contact with Deta Hedman,” she wrote on X. “I want to pay her the prize money she missed out on, just as Seth Dillon and I did with billiards player Kim O’Brien for taking the same stand. Bravery deserves to be rewarded.”
Just before her trip to Denmark, Hedman posted a picture on her Facebook page which contained the message: “Women & Girls deserve to be CHAMPIONS in their own sports.”
Last year the 64-year-old, who was born in Jamaica but moved to England in the 1960s, voiced her strong opposition to transgender inclusion in women’s darts tournaments. “For many months I’ve struggled with transgenders playing in the women’s world ranked events,” she wrote on social media.
I must get into contact with Deta Hedman. I want to pay her the prize money she missed out on, just as @SethDillon and I did with billiards player Kim O’Brien for taking the same stand.
Bravery deserves to be rewarded.
“I have thought this is wrong since day one, I have no problem with transgenders in life. Noa-Lynn is a really nice person, nobody is disputing that at all, it’s just my belief and many other women players’ belief that trans shouldn’t be in women’s ranked events.”
Van Leuven played darts for almost a decade before transitioning in 2022, and she claims that the decision was essential to ‘make something of her life’. “I didn’t have anything to live for, I wasn’t in a good space,” the Dutchwoman explained.
“Then I realised I am trans, [and] I should do something with that or I am not going to make anything out of my life. I went to the doctor, then into the programme. I was playing darts for nine years [before the transition] and I was missing something in life, then I started playing again. I missed the game, I missed the people.”
