Martina Navratilova reacts to controversial transgender athlete claiming she can't be stripped of NCAA title

Martina Navratilova has yet again criticized transgender males competing in women's sports on social media. The 18-time Major winner responded after an interview was released featuring CeCe Telfer, who was asked about President Trump's ban on transgender athletes.

Telfer was the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA title. She transitioned when she was in college at Franklin Pierce University, competing with limited success in men's track and field. In June 2019, she was allowed to compete in women's races and the NCAA 400-meter hurdles event.

In the interview, posted on the WomenAreReal X, Telfer was asked to comment on the fact that Donald Trump's new Department of Education has written to the NCAA asking that all transgender athletes be stripped of their titles and records. Telfer replied:

"If someone is truly working or a part of the department of education they would be smart and educated enough to know that something like that is not how history works, and that's not how the direction of progressiveness works, and you can't take back history."

The WomenAreReal post suggested that Telfer should, indeed, have his title removed. They wrote:

"CeCe Telfer - the first man to cheat his way to a women's NCAA title in 2019 - explains that he can't be stripped of his title because "that's not how the directiion of progressiveness works". Women beg to differ. You can for our sports & our spaces and we are fighting back hard"

Tennis legend Navratilova has spoken out before about her objection to transitioning males being allowed to compete in women's sports and was quick to offer her support for WomenAreReal. She posted in response.

"Telfer is male. There's your proof."

Navratilova has 455,000 followers on X and often posts about social issues. She won 59 Major titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles during her illustrious career and was World No. 1 for 332 weeks in the 1970s and 1980s.

Martina Navratilova, a civil and trans rights activist, draws the line at transgender men competing in women's sports

French Open Tennis Tournament. Roland-Garros 2024. - Source: Getty

Martina Navratilova was interviewed by the New Yorker in November 2023 and laid out in detail her views on the controversial transgender issue. She said:

"I’m all for trans rights on a civil level, 100 percent, every which way. This is not against trans athletes. This is against male bodies competing as women, if they identify as women. Many sports don’t even have any mitigation, any allowance for lowering the testosterone level, et cetera. But what has been proven, even when you do take those testosterone blockers or hormone therapy, even after 15 years, male bodies still retain physical advantage over women athletes."

This is a rare occasion when Navratilova agrees with Donald Trump. On most issues she's at odds with the new President's policies, and very vocal in her criticisms.