"A bit late" - Martina Navratilova on Kanye West apologising to Jewish community in Hebrew for past antisemitic remarks

Martina Navratilova recently reacted to American rapper, singer and songwriter Kanye West's apology to the Jewish community, which he conveyed in Hebrew for his previous antisemitic comments.

West has long been at the center of controversy due to his antisemitic remarks. As a consequence of these comments, Adidas severed ties with him last year which led to him losing the billionaire status, as reported by Forbes. The 46-year-old sparked further outrage when he was spotted wearing a shirt displaying the phrase "White Lives Matter" - a slogan which has been adopted by neo-Nazi and white supremacist factions as a counter to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Kanye West recently addressed his antisemitic comments by taking to social media, to offer an apology to the Jewish community. He chose to convey his message in Hebrew.

"I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any "unintended outburst" caused by my words or actions. It was not my intention to hurt or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused," West shared on Instagram (translated from Hebrew).

"I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding In the future. Your forgiveness is important to me, and I am committed to making amends" and promoting unity," he added.

Reacting to West's apology, 18-time Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova took to social media and stated that the singer's apology came in a "bit late."

"A bit late, Ye," Navratilova posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Martina Navratilova on pursuing a political career: " I don’t have the energy for it"

Martina Navratilova speaking to the press at the 2021 WTA Finals

Martina Navratilova is known for her outspoken nature, addressing a wide range of topics such as gun control, LGBTQ+ rights, and women's rights on her social media platforms.

Recently, she appeared on the "On with Kara Swisher" podcast, where she was asked about her potential interest in pursuing a political career. In response, Navratilova revealed that despite numerous offers to run for office, she has consistently declined. Her reasoning lies in the fact that she values speaking the truth, which is not always well-received in the political arena.

The former World No. 1 revealed that she recognizes that her candidness may not be appreciated in the political sphere. She believes that due to the patriarchal nature of our society if a man were to express similar opinions, his efforts would be more readily acknowledged and valued.

"I am. I’ve been asked many times. But I think truth doesn’t work in politics you know I speak my mind way too much. I think maybe as a guy you can get away with it but as a woman, I just don’t know," Martina Navratilova said (at 53:05).

Martina Navratilova also revealed that she would have ventured into a political career had she been 20 years younger. However, she stated that now she lacks the necessary energy to pursue such a path. Additionally, she expressed her aversion towards the current political environment, which she has deemed "too nasty" for her taste.

"I think I am too old for that. 20 years ago, I wish I…, if I was 20 years younger I would run. But I don’t have the energy for it now, and the skin. Really it’s just too nasty," she added.