Former World number 1, Martina Navratilova has issued an apology for insinuating that transgenders ‘cheat’. She was referring to the idea of athletes changing their gender to compete in women’s sport.

Earlier she had suggested that athletes changing their genders to win tournaments. Her views were expressed in an opinion piece for The Sunday Times. The Czech former player has been very vocal in her views on the subject and has always pushed for gay rights.

Naturally, her comments sparked outrage among the transgender community. She was subjected to plenty of abuse online and dubbed “transphobic”. This was after engaging in a massive twitter debate.

In her apology, she said, “I know that my use of the word ‘cheat’ caused particular offence among the transgender community. I’m sorry for that because I certainly was not suggesting that transgender athletes in general are cheats.”

She further explained that she attached the label in terms of a case where someone changes gender temporarily to gain a competitive advantage. She insisted that the possibility is there and some rules make it possible and legal.

Martina Navratilova continued, “First, we all need to realize that there is no perfect solution in which nobody will ever be wronged or disadvantaged. There is no blanket rule that will solve all issues. The objective must be to find policies that make women’s sport as inclusive and fair as practically possible.”

“I don’t think there is a definitive answer here. That is why I want a debate, a conversation that includes everyone and is based, as I have said, not on feeling or emotion but science, objectivity and the best interests of women’s sport as a whole”.

Personally speaking, while the former Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open champion, may have been right in some circumstances of the need to win as much as possible. However, she was unjustified in blanketing the entire community with her comments.