British darts star who refused to compete against a trans woman claims 'periods and menopause' put her at a disadvantage - and reveals she was 'crying her eyes out' when the draw was made

British darts star Deta Hedman has explained her decision to withdraw from a tournament after being drawn against a transgender woman.

Earlier this month Hedman defeated Kelly Streef and Natalie Gilbert to reach the quarter-finals of the Denmark Open, but opted to forfeit her place after finding out she would be facing trans woman Noa-Lynn van Leuven.

In an interview discussing her decision to pull out of the competition the 64-year-old claimed the prospect of facing van Leuven had caused her both mental and physical distress.

'As I said, for last few years, I've struggled with this situation of playing a transgender,' Hedman said on GB News. 'In more than one occasions, I've been wanting to pull out, and people have spoken to me not to do it.'

'But in the end, it got to me, and it was beginning to affect me, physically and mentally. 

Deta Hedman discussed her decision to pull out of a darts tournament after being drawn against a transgender woman

The former world No 1 reached the quarter-finals of the Denmark Open earlier this month

'But all the ladies who do participate in the women's game, have been complaining that they didn't enjoy the experience [of playing against a trans player].

'They've been asking me to take it up to the board to see if they can have it changed. We just looked into so much I've read so many things, and in fairness, it just hurt my head. 

'The last lady series, I sat there, and so many girls was coming to me telling me this, that, and whatever. And I just sat there and just put my head back, put my headphone was absolutely crying my eyes out.'

Asked what advantages a trans player would have in darts, Hedman replied: 'There's some that says there's no advantages or there's no disadvantages, if you like. 

'But what they've all seems to have forgotten is about biological woman, this stuff that we have to go through every month. Okay? 

'I've sat there and seen girls women who's doubled up in pain at all of the tournaments I go to now, a trans [woman] won't have that,' she continued.

'I go through the menopause. They won't have that trans women, but they tend to seem sort of dismiss what a natural born woman go through.

Hedman claimed the prospect of facing Noa-Lynn van Leuven left her in tears

'But as I said in Denmark, it just got to me, and I just couldn't go deal with it, because I just broke down.'

Hedman added that she spoke to WDF tour director immediately after finding out the draw for the quarter-final and immediately informed them that she would not continue.

'It was just me and the tournament director, and I explained to him, I've had my notification, as you can see, and I just said, "I can't do it. I can't cope". I said, "I'm just breaking right now". And I just dissolved into pieces.'

With Hedman out of the competition, Van Leuven progressed to the semi-finals of the competition, where she was defeated 4-0 by eventual winner Beau Greaves.