Martina Navratilova rallies behind Riley Gaines over ‘trans-swimmer’ setting yet another school record in women’s event

Martina Navratilova continues to stand by the women and express her concerns over inclusion of transgender men in women's sport.

Martina Navratilova rallies behind Riley Gaines over ‘trans-swimmer’ setting yet another school record in women’s event

L- Martina Navratilova (via Imago)

Martina Navratilova, the 18-time singles Grand Slam champion is always vocal about her opinion on issues revolving around the inclusion of transgender men in women’s sports. Recently, she voiced her opinions against a high school swimming event.

Ramapo College in the U.S. had a swimming competition for women. With the transwomen already at an advantage due to their bodies, they are clear favorites in a tournament, according to Navratilova’s belief. Likewise, the transwoman won the swimming competition and created a record in the women’s division. They swam a 200-meter race and completed it in a shocking 2 minutes and 8 seconds. 

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Former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines too commented on this competition. Questioning cis-women, for allowing trans-women to push them off their own podium, Gaines issues a callout. “Now tell me again the strides women have made when society applauds a man for pushing us off our own podium,” tweeted Gaines, who is fighting for women’s rights in sports. Adding to this post was her good friend and tennis legend Martina Navratilova. 

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Yikes…again and again and again.
Tweeted Navratilova on the post

Tired of calling out stakeholders on this issue, the tennis legend expressed her disappointment in the community for allowing transgender women to compete in the women’s sport and taking away from a community of female athletes who anyway face a flurry of issues.

Martina Navratilova controversy behind the allowance of Transgender men in women’s sports

WTA icon Martina Navratilova has always voiced her opinion unhinged. Transgender women participating in women’s sports and spaces is one issue that she has always been vocal about.

Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova (Via Imago)

However, many question the 67-year-old for having a problem with this. Back in November 2023, she came on a podcast to answer this question. While featured on an episode with Kara Swisher, Navratilova spoke about the difference between men and women, and how men get an added advantage after they hit puberty, while it’s different for women. 

And if you put your arm up, that's about seven inches, reach advantage. It's just not possible to level the playing field.
said Navratilova

According to the statements made by Navratilova, she said that the reach of men is more once they hit puberty, and in the case of women, they face the issue of a monthly period that affects their performance every 28 days.

To prove her point, the WTA icon also revealed to taking birth control pills just to know when her period would come, so it does not affect her run at a Grand Slam like Wimbledon or the US Open. While there have been more and more opinions on the inclusion of transgender women in women’s sports, no particular action has been taken.

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