• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova supports banning trans women from female sports

Home> Tennis

Published 04:04 27 Mar 2023 GMT+1

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova supports banning trans women from female sports

Martina Navratilova has had her say on World Athletics' decision to ban transgender athletes, calling it 'a step in the right direction'.

Max Sherry

Max Sherry

Martina Navratilova has had her say on World Athletics' decision to ban transgender athletes, calling it 'a step in the right direction'.

Speaking on the matter, she also said 'it seems the world is finally waking up and using common sense. I just hope other sports can quickly follow suit'.

In the past, the tennis legend has been very outspoken on her views surrounding trans eligibility in sport.

A few years back, she angered some people when she said that allowing transgender women to compete with cisgender females is "insane and it’s cheating... it is surely unfair on women who have to compete against people who, biologically, are still men".

Advert

Now - with the debate as rife as ever - she has doubled down, voicing her support for trans women being excluded from competing in female elite sports.

Alamy

"I have long been vocal on this matter, as I have educated myself on what the realities are for trans women competing against biological females," she wrote for The Times.

"The other one nobody talks about is the airway through which we breathe, which is 25 to 50 per cent larger in men.

Advert

"If you can breathe faster and deeper, that is a massive advantage in top-level sport.

"That’s before you touch upon what could be something like five inches of height difference between somebody who was born male and a biological female, with a difference in arm length of two inches."

In her argument, the 18-time Grand Slam champion about the 'advantage' trans women have over biological females.

"It’s no accident that we don’t hear complaints about trans men competing against men," Navratilova added.

Advert

"They don’t have the physical advantages of a male who has gone through puberty.

"But the advantage trans women have is obviously unfair."

She also said that 'testosterone is the biggest driving force' in the gender divide among athletes because 'the effects of male puberty are irreversible' even with the use of transition medication.

Alamy

Advert

As an alternative, Navratilova has suggested introducing an 'open category'.

"It would be a category for all-comers: men who identify as men; women who identify as women; women who identify as men; men who identify as women; non-binary - it would be a catch-all," she said said.

"Biological females are most likely to compete in the biological female category, as that’s their best shot at winning and it maintains the principle of fairness.

"With an 'open' category there are no question marks, no provisos, no asterisks, no doubts."

Advert

The 66-year-old added: "It’s a simple solution."

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Tennis

Max Sherry
Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

X

@maxysherry

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

6 hours ago
10 hours ago
a day ago
2 days ago
  • Getty
    6 hours ago

    Fans Concerned After Emma Raducanu Breaks Down in Tears During Latest Match

    The British tennis star struggled through her first-round win at the Korea Open

    Tennis
  • Getty
    10 hours ago

    Taylor Townsend Forced to Apologise for China Comment After US Open 'Racism' Row

    Townsend caused outrage with her comments at the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Shenzhen

    Tennis
  • Clive Brunskill / Staff via Getty
    a day ago

    Emma Raducanu Turns Back on Representing Great Britain in Tennis Competition

    The 2021 US Open champion withdrew from a British tennis team.

    Tennis
  • Getty
    2 days ago

    Tennis Star Handed Lifetime Ban as Official Statement Released

    A 31-year-old Thai tennis player has received a comprehensive ban from the sport.

    Tennis
  • US Olympic officials make decision on banning trans athletes from competing in women's sports
  • Tennis legend boycotted Wimbledon three times after refusing to follow strict rules
  • Female tennis player reports 'crazy' and 'dangerous' fan after being reduced to tears during Wimbledon defeat
  • Serena Williams fires back at 'haters' after 'ridiculous' claim made about tennis legend