Martina Navratilova tears into media outlet for 'lie' about Donald Trump's executive order on transgender athletes

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has taken a stand against ITV News, challenging their headline about President Donald Trump's executive order on transgender athletes. Navratilova argued that the headline misrepresents the policy as a ban when it's actually about ensuring athletes compete in the correct sex category.

On Wednesday, February 5, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," which aims to prevent transgender women from participating in female sports categories across various levels, including K-12, collegiate, and Olympic competitions. The order asserts that allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports is unfair and undermines the integrity of female athletics.

It directs federal agencies to interpret Title IX - a federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding - as excluding transgender women from women's sports teams. Additionally, the order threatens to withhold federal funds from academic institutions that permit transgender women to compete in women's sports.

In response to this development, Navratilova criticized ITV News' headline that stated:

"Trump signs executive order barring transgender female athletes from competing."

Navratilova contended that the headline was misleading, asserting that everyone is allowed to compete, but only in their appropriate sex category. She emphasized that the executive order does not prevent competition outright but mandates that athletes participate in categories corresponding to their biological sex.

"Hey ITV- that headline is a lie. Try again- you are supposed to be a news giver, this is not it. Everybody can compete, just in the proper SEX CATEGORY!!!" Navratilova wrote on X.

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Martina Navratilova lauds Donald Trump’s move to keep transgender women out of female sports

In Picture: Martina Navratilova during the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards press conference (Image source: Getty)

Martina Navratilova, despite her long-standing opposition to Donald Trump, has set aside her differences to back his executive order restricting transgender women from competing in female sports. She also expressed frustration with the Democratic Party, reproaching them for failing to take a comparable stance on the matter.

"I hate that the democrats totally failed women and girls on this very clear issue of women’s sports being for females only," Martina Navratilova wrote on X.

In other news, Martina Navratilova shared her reaction to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) signaling its intent to revise its eligibility rules to align its transgender participation policy with President Donald Trump's executive order. Taking to X, she expressed her approval by posting a series of clapping hands emojis.