"What an utter joke" - Martina Navratilova reacts to transgender athlete winning women's 5K race beating out biological females

Martina Navratilova was infuriated by a trans-identifying man winning a 5K race in Ottawa recently, beating out biological females in the process.

In a recent Twitter exchange, it came to light that transgender athlete Kaylee Horn, who had registered in the F50-59 category, had come out as the overall winner, completing the five kilometers in a little over 16 minutes. The first runner-up, Rita Petrocco, came in at over 24 minutes, more than seven minutes slower than Horn.

This left many on social media angry, as they believed it was robbing biological women of their right to competition.

"5k race in Ottawa: trans-identifying man raced in F 50-59 category and came in first of all women, beating out 2nd place teenage track star, ruining a glorious moment for her. Winner's time would actually be a world record for women in that age group."

Navratilova, who has constantly voiced her support for the separation of women's sports and a need for 'safe spaces' for biological females, agreed with the sentiment, stating that it was "an utter joke" that a transgender athlete was allowed to win in such manner.

"What an utter joke," Martina Navratilova wrote.

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"I support any accommodations so long as male athletes do not take participation opportunities or scholarships from female athletes" - Martina Navratilova

US Open Tennis

Martina Navratilova has often been criticized as being transphobic for her stance against the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports. Speaking in a recent column she wrote, however, the American clarified why that critique of her was wrong.

Navratilova pointed out that she is fully in favor of males who identify as females participating in sports, so long as they play in the men's category or the "open" category. The only thing that the 18-time Grand Slam champion was vehemently against was the exclusion of women from spaces that were originally intended to empower them.

"Can males who identify as women be accommodated in sports? Of course. They can play in the men’s category. The men’s category can be redefined as 'open.' Or they can create their own events, as the Gay Games have done every four years since 1982.

"I support any accommodations so long as male athletes do not take participation opportunities or scholarships from female athletes," Martina Navratilova said.

The former World No. 1 went as far as to say that she was okay with excluding males from invading the female category, seeing as it was always the intention of separating sports based on gender in the first place.

"The female category was created to provide opportunities for women to compete fairly. It was always intended to exclude males. We need to keep excluding them. I promised to educate myself, and I have. I plan to keep advocating for fair competitions—and equal rights—for female athletes. I hope you’ll join me," Navratilova said.