Noa-Lynn van Leuven responded Sunday evening via NOS.nl for the first time to the commotion caused by a decision this weekend by Aileen de Graaf and Anca Zijlstra.
The pair decided not to make themselves available for the Dutch team anymore because of Van Leuven's presence on the team. Zijlstra and De Graaf take issue with Van Leuven being eligible to play on the women's circuit as a transwoman.
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De Graaf and Zijlstra refuse to play with transgender player and drop out of Dutch women's team
"The moment when you feel ashamed to play for the Dutch team because a biological man plays on the women's team, it's time to go. I have tried to accept this, but I cannot condone or condone it. I believe that sports should be an equal and fair playing field, handled and accepted as such in good conscience. After all, we have worked so hard to be relevant and competitive in this sport,'' Zijlstra wrote in a statement.
Fellow player De Graaf then joined her in a comment. ''At some point you have to make choices when something goes against your feelings. You have to do what feels right for you. Hence my decision to leave the Dutch team."
In a brief response to NOS, Van Leuven informed that the whole discussion has taken up a lot of her energy. "I don't really feel the need to go further into it. This has been their choice and not mine. I think the only unfortunate thing about this issue is that a lot of people forget that I am also a human being,'" Van Leuven responded.
The 27-year-old player now forms the Dutch women's team together with Desiree Geel, Roos van der Velde and Aletta Wajer. They will be in action at the 4 Nations Tournament on April 13 and 14.
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