"Comparing them to Katie Ledecky & Simone Biles is an insult": Martina Navratilova reignites controversy with Olympic boxers Imane Khelif, Lin Yu-ting

Martina Navratilova has once again criticized controversial boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, this time invoking comparisons to American icons Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky. Navratilova stated that comparing these legendary athletes to the boxers in question is an outright insult.

Yu-ting and Khelif were at the center of a gender controversy during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The International Boxing Association (IBA) had previously disqualified both athletes from the 2023 World Championships after reportedly failing unspecified gender tests. This sparked global speculation, with some alleging they had male chromosomes.

Recent reports have leaked medical records claiming that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has XY chromosomes, adding to the controversy. It fueled Martina Navratilova, known for her firm stance against transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, who did not hold back her criticism.

On November 23, the 18-time Grand Slam champion took to X to share an article defending Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting. The article argued that without exceptional abilities, like those of Biles and Ledecky, no athlete would have advanced as far, and that didn’t mean the two boxers were female.

Martina Navratilova wrote:

"Neither of these two boxers have superlative athletic gifts and comparing them to Ledecky and Biles is an insult. They are both XY- males with DSD and all the testosterone!"