Martina Navratilova OUTRAGEOUSLY claims women’s sports is ‘not the place’ for trans-identified male athletes after cyclist Austin Killips wins a women’s race
Martina Navratilova justifies the internet outrage after a transgender athlete Austin Killips won the women's cycling tournament.
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Martina Navratilova and Austin Killips( Credits: Wall Street Journal and BBC)
Martina Navratilova took to Twitter to voice her protest regarding the Trans-athletes competing in the women’s category. The Former tennis player had been an open advocate for separate categories for all the ‘others’, who don’t identify themselves as males and females.
Transgender cyclist Austin Killips competed in the women’s category in the Tour of the Gila. She finished the race in first place and won the enormous prize money of $35,000. This situation created a controversy regarding the sport’s rules. The internet directed criticism to both Killips and the cycling governing body UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale).
The nine-time Wimbledon champion justified the outrage and spoke for better rules and different categories in the competitions. Her remark garnered mixed reactions on the internet.
“Transgender cyclist Austin Killips wins women’s race, causes outrage- this will happen more and more- women’s sports is NOT THE PLACE for trans identified male athletes”, she commented on Twitter.
The Tennis Channel commentator had previously applauded the decision taken by the World Athletics to exclude transgender females from participating in the women’s category. She called the ruling a ‘step in the right direction’. She further said that having an ‘open category’ will ensure the principle of fairness in sports.
Despite the outrage and online abuse, Killips appeared to be indifferent to the issue as her team celebrated the victory.
“This win was possible thanks to the community and connections I’ve been fortunate enough to build over the years through bikes. After a week of nonsense on the internet I’m especially thankful to everyone in the peloton and sport who continue to affirm that Twitter is not real life“, she said on her Instagram.
Martina Navratilova makes a comeback to Tennis Channel
Martina Navratilova will be joining back the Tennis Channel as a commentator. The 59 times Grand Slams champion will return to her sport after fighting cancer for the second time, since 2010.
The 66 years-old announced in January that she had been diagnosed with Stage-1 throat cancer and early-stage breast cancer. In her recent interview with Piers Morgan, she declared herself as ‘cancer-free’. She also shared her fear and struggles after being diagnosed for the second time. On the channel, the tennis legend shared her treatment process and how she was grateful for all the support she received from the tennis world.
” I’ve had great support in the Twitter world, but the tennis world has come through with flying colors. I cannot tell you how many people have been texting me, calling me. It’s just been overwhelming”, she said during the broadcast on the Tennis channel.
“It puts you face-to-face with mortality, number one. I said at the beginning I wasn’t sure if it was treatable, so that was hard. But once I got into the program, it was a little easier emotionally, but more difficult physically, between chemo and proton therapy it me up, but I’m still standing. I made it up the stairs without using the elevator here, so it’s all good”, she further added.
Navratilova bid farewell to the tennis world in 2006. She had a legendary on-court rivalry with Chris Evert as both players took tennis to greater heights. Since then, she has been active as the sport’s leading ambassador.
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Vitasta Singh
(691 Articles Published)