‘It’s Just Not Fair’- Martina Navratilova on Transgender Athletes Competing With Women

Published 07/29/2022, 6:30 AM EDT

Martina Navratilova, the 18-time Grand Slam champion, doesn’t hesitate to express herself. She never shies away from vocalizing her thoughts, especially during her interviews and on social media. However, as a consequence of that, she often receives heavy criticism.

However, Navratilova pays no heed to such backlashes and stands firm in her arguments. One of the most recent and in fact ongoing matters is the participation of transgender athletes in sports.

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Martina Navratilova about transgender women in sports

Navratilova, while speaking on the show, Piers Morgan Uncensored, provided her take on the matter. She said, “Live your life to the fullest, but you really can’t have it all.”

Thereafter, she explained, “In sports, biology matters. And it’s just not fair to have to compete against biological males no matter how long they have been doing the hormone therapy.”

“If they’ve gone through that male puberty, you really cannot make it a fair fight at the end at all.” The tennis veteran added. Navratilova herself has actively taken part in matters regarding LGBTQ rights. Further, in the interview, the host mentioned that she even hired Renée Richards as her coach.

‘To Have a Superstar…’ – Martina Navratilova Points Out One Significant Aspect That’s Bringing Down Women’s Tennis

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Renée Richards is a former tennis ace who achieved a career-high ranking of world no.20 and underwent male to female gender reassignment surgery. She, after retiring, helped the Czech-American legend secure two Wimbledon titles.

Navratilova’s struggle with fans in her playing days

The nine-time Wimbledon champion has suffered more than a fair share of hardships. She, after being burdened with the feeling of an outsider in America, faced severe criticism because of her built. Navratilova was the only person who could challenge the great Chris Evert.

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Watch this story: ‘Seems to Get Injured a Lot’ – Martina Navratilova Once Used Serena Williams’ Example to Talk About the ‘Fragmented’ Nature of Women’s Tennis.

However, owing to her not-so-petite physique, fans rallied behind the seven times French Open champion, Chris Evert, during the glory days of their famed rivalry. However, Navratilova didn’t let it affect her performances, as she secured 59 Grand Slam titles and retired as the best all format player in the history of tennis.

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Written by:

Mahima Verma is a Tennis writer for EssentiallySports. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Hotel Management from IHM Mumbai. A sports enthusiast, particularly Tennis since her childhood, Mahima believes that she is fortunate enough to witness the legends like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams play.

Edited by:

Tony Thomas

‘It’s Just Not Fair’- Martina Navratilova on Transgender Athletes Competing With Women

Martina Navratilova about transgender women in sports

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Navratilova’s struggle with fans in her playing days