"About sex, not race, not religion" - Martina Navratilova clarifies why she is against inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports

Martina Navratilova, a former World No. 1 tennis player, has doubled down on her opposition to trans athletes competing in women's sports. During a recent debate online, the 18-time Grand Slam winner clarified her stance.

The tennis legend’s latest comments came in response to a statement by US Senator Dick Durbin, who is in favor of allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.

The Senator posted a video of an interaction with president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Charlie Baker at the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the clip, Baker informs Durbin that out of 510,000 women athletes in the NCAA, less than ten are transgender.

“510,000 NCAA athletes. Ten or fewer transgender NCAA athletes nationwide. Let’s focus on ways to actually improve women’s sports,” Durbin noted in his caption.

As the politician’s statement started stirring up a debate on social media, Martina Navratilova chimed in on the matter, claiming:

“It’s about sex, not race, not religion, not sexuality. But actual biological sex, which doesn’t not evolve.”

Her statement came under criticism from an X account which claimed:

"It’s about bigotry and fear."

Navratilova, who is vehemently outspoken about her political views on social media, snapped back at the commenter.

"Not a bigot and definitely not scared. And you are just a troll."

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Martina Navratilova has not shied away from expressing her views on the trans debate

Martina Navratilova is considered an icon of the LGBTQ movement - Source: Getty

Martina Navratilova, who came out as a lesbian in the 1980s, is considered by many as an icon of the LGBTQ movement. However, she has vehemently opposed the inclusion of transgender women in women's sport, arguing that they have a physical advantage.

However, the tennis icon has insisted that she has not turned "right" wing, despite her strong stance in the trans debate.

"You know, I've been out way before any kind of LGB community was organized... LGBT community, and now people say I turned Right. I did not," Navratilova said on the "The Politics War Room" with James Carville & Al Hunt podcast.

Notably, Navratilova is a fierce critic of US President-elect Donald Trump, the leader of the conservative right-wing Republican party, and endorsed his rival, Democrat nominee Kamala Harris, in this year's election.

She has often voiced her support for Harry Potter author JK Rowling, another fierce critic of allowing transgender women in spaces reserved for women. Rowling, who has historically supported liberal causes, has also insisted that she has not become a right winger because of her opinions on trans women.