Barry Hearn Exclusive Interview

In an exclusive interview with SportsLens, legendary sports promoter Barry Hearn gives his opinion on trans athletes and believes they are the future of sport & gender neutral sport is a good thing.

He also wants ICC to invest more into grassroots cricket to create a solid base for the future.

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Interview Highlights:

• Trans darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven competing in the Women’s World Matchplay is the future
• On gender neutral sport: Sport should be about ability and nothing else
• Influencer boxing will be a detriment to the sport in the long term
• Nathan Aspinall was special to watch in the World Matchplay final / Darts is competitive again no longer the Phil Taylor show

Full Transcript

Question: If you were in charge of the ICC what changes would you make to cricket? 

Barry Hearn: “There has to be more investment in grassroots and more investment particularly in the north-east and the north-west where there simply aren’t the facilities for youngsters to play. Let’s get that right first and then you’ll have a solid base. The professional game is in good hands and T20 has been a lifesaver for a lot of clubs.”

Question: What did you make of Nathan Aspinall’s win at the World Matchplay?

Barry Hearn: “The game is very competitive. The game is no longer the Phil Taylor show with one person winning virtually everything. Nathan Aspinall has been knocking on the door of greatness for some time. That 11 leg burst was absolutely electric. You see players have three or four where they’re untouchable. But to put together a power play of that magnitude was something special to watch. I felt for Jonny Clayton because there’s nothing you can do about it when a guy is averaging 120. That’s almost perfect darts. I’m very pleased for Nathan. He’s a good winner and a very popular young man. I think he will be a force after that because mentally he knows he can do it. Once you’ve got that belief in yourself, any sport becomes easier to play.”

Question: What did you make of transexual darts player Noa-Lynn van Leuven competing in the Women’s World Matchplay?

Barry Hearn: “That’s the world we live in and that’s the future. You have to embrace everyone and you have to encourage diversity. Providing there’s no natural or unnatural advantage to an individual, darts has always been a gender neutral sport anyway so this just takes it to the next level. It’s just about ability, nothing else.” 

Question: Does the same apply to snooker?

Barry Hearn: “Yes I think so but the women haven’t really kicked on as much in snooker as in darts. When you see someone like Beau Greaves come along… She’s a proper player! There are others coming along as well, being inspired and changing their lives through sport. In snooker there’s some movement which is predominantly coming out of China and Thailand but who’s to say in the future? Who knows? The game is gender neutral as well. Sport should be about ability with nothing else taken into account.