Transgender darts player shaken by abuse and bans

Darts player Samantha Lewis has been subjected to online abuse

A transgender woman and darts player from Hull who has faced a wave of abuse and exclusion from competitions says she has been questioning her future within the game.

Samantha Lewis's passion for darts runs deep, and the sport has spanned generations in her family.

"Darts has been in my family my whole life. It started off with my grandma and granddad, and then my dad joined," she said.

However, Ms Lewis, 28, has been left wondering if she should continue in the sport.

Ms Lewis plays for Humberside County Darts and is captain of the Inglemire Super League team

"Recently, there has been some politics within the community of transgender women playing in women's sports. I've had a lot of slander and discrimination," she said.

She said it had had a profound emotional impact on her, shaking the confidence she had rebuilt since coming out as transgender.

Ms Lewis was banned from participating in the England Darts Open in Devon, receiving the rejection message via Facebook - a move she said was "very unprofessional".

The exclusion and online harassment have taken a severe toll on her mental health.

"Mentally, my mum has been really worried about me because I've gone down that slippery slope again. I wanted to end it all. I know it’s just a game, but it's something that I love doing," she said.

Despite these challenges, Ms Lewis said that both Humberside County Darts and her team, Inglemire, had been supportive - something she described as "very heart-warming".

Some of the awards Ms Lewis has picked up

England Darts has issued a statement on its website addressing its stance on the inclusion of transgender women in women's events.

"England Darts has canvassed its players and executives on this very important issue concerning the future of women's darts, and how England can continue to protect the integrity within our sport for its female members," it said.

It added that including "non-birth-gender females" in women's competitions could "ultimately result in the demise of our women’s sport".

Other darts competitions do allow transgender women to compete, depending on their testosterone levels.

While Ms Lewis qualifies for them, she is taking a break at the moment to focus on her mental health.

Her message to people who have contributed to her current struggles is a plea for empathy and respect.

"Just keep your opinions to yourself. I’m still human at the end of the day. Think before you speak," she said.

"I don't want to quit. I want to carry on."

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line.