"It's wrong" - Martina Navratilova lashes out at WTA for allowing trans athletes to participate in tournaments

Martina Navratilova recently lashed out at WTA and USTA for safeguarding trans athletes' interests through the inclusion policy a few years ago. The former World No. 1 believes that trans tennis pros hold an obvious "built-in" advantage over their female counterparts, which was a big reason why she wants them to be excluded from official competitions.

Navratilova recently sat down for a candid interview with British journalist Amol Rajan, where she answered a wide array of questions surrounding her stance on trans athletes. At one point, the 68-year-old was made to reminisce about the quote she made in 2023 after learning of USTA's "Transgender Inclusion Policy" that was aimed at discouraging restrictions on trans athletes and ensuring fair competition.

Martina Navratilova also expressed her disagreement with the said policy inferring that trans athletes held an unfair advantage over female tennis pros.

"There is a certain step-ladder that you have to go through before you get to elite sports. So it really starts in high school and then you come out to go to your local meet, and there is a boy that has a pony tail and a nail polish and identifies as a girl... Now these girls are like, 'I can't compete against that, I have no chance,'" Martina Navratilova told Amol Rajan. "I think it's wrong, because number 1, you don't lose five inches of built-in height. Average male is five inches taller than a female," she added.

During the interaction, Navratilova also gave her thoughts on how important sports could prove to be in the future as far as "affirming women's rights" was concerned.

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Martina Navratilova: "Sports has always been on the front of social change and progress"

In the same interview, Martina Navratilova said she expected the higher-ups in sports to vie for a "social change" in favor of female athletes soon.

"Sports has always been on the front of social change and progress. And this way, we can be on it again, in affirming the right of women and girls to sex-based spaces and be on the right side of history," Navratilova said.

For those unaware, Navratilova has been a staunch critic of trans inclusion in women's sports. In August 2023, the 59-time Major winner expressed disapproval of trans-identifying powerlifter Avi Silverberg breaking an Alberta-based women's record in 84+ kg bench press category.

"It is happening literally everywhere…" Martina Navratilova had written in an X post two years ago in response to another fan denouncing Silverberg's achievement.

Having turned pro in 1974, Navratilova won 18 Major titles in singles, a record-breaking 31 in women's doubles and another 10 in mixed doubles before retiring in 2006.

Edited by Luke Koshi