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The former World No. 1 Martina Navratilova criticized transgender Paralympic athlete, Valentina Petrillo, calling her a 'cheater' when the latter opened up on her dreams of competing at the Olympics since she was a 'little girl'. The 67-year-old has frequently spoken against the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports.
Martina Navratilova held the position of World No. 1 in singles for 332 weeks and dominated women's tennis for the first two-thirds of the 1980s. Since capping her tennis career in 2006, she shifted to activism and has been speaking firmly against transgender participation in women's sports.
Recently, Navratilova lashed out at transgender Paralympic athlete, Valentina Petrillo, calling her a 'pathetic cheater' for opening up about her Olympic dreams as a 'little girl'.
"Petrillo is a pathetic cheater," her tweet read.
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The original interview of Petrillo (partially visually impaired) with Reddux featured the world bronze medalist talking about her upcoming participation at the 2024 Paralympic Games.
"When I received the invitation for Paris 2024, my excitement was indescribable because this was a dream that I had since I was a little girl."
Martina Navratilova another comment around this read:
"Yet another male stealing women’s trophies. In Paralympics, no less. Sickening."
Petrillo won 11 national titles as a father of two in the male category. After her transition in 2019 in her late 40s, she became the first transgender person to compete in Paralympic sports, debuting at the 2020 Italian Para Athletics Championships.
Martina Navratilova was one of the 300+ women supporting Idaho law, which stated the ban on transgender student-athletes in women's categories. She also signed a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 2020. Recently, the 67-year-old snapped at The Guardian for celebrating Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's Olympic victory amid significant controversy.
Khelif was banned from the 2023 World Championships for failed gender tests, according to IBA. Italian boxer Angela Cartini's withdrawal mid-way through an Olympic match against Khelif not only put the latter's gender in question but also garnered hate from all over.
Martina Navratilova expressed disappointment over former ESPN host Samantha Ponder's layoff
Host Samantha Ponder was on a three-year contract worth $3 million with ESPN when the channel fired her for financial reasons. Like the tennis legend, Ponder has also been vocal about women's rights in sports.
A fan's comment following her layoff read:
"ESPN fired one of their sports commentators @samponder today. She was very outspoken about the injustices of males competing in female sports."
The update infuriated Navratilova and prompted her to call out ESPN for the move.
"Wow. That sucks. Shame on you ESPN!!!"
Ponder made headlines in 2023 for supporting Riley Gaines' claim to bar transgender athletes from participating in women's track and field events in California.
