What is the Sasha Yates controversy about? All you need to know about the transgender tennis coach whose actions angered Martina Navratilova

Sasha Yates is a transgender tennis coach from Pennyslvania who was recently rehired by her school despite being accused of inappropriate behavior in front of minors.

Sasha Yates, who was previously David Yates, has been the coach for both the girls and boys tennis teams of the Gettysburg Area High School since 2018 and began to transition in 2021. She identifies as a trans woman.

She had been known as Sasha Yates since 2022 and got into trouble due to a few incidents involving students. The first of these took place in the fall of 2022 when she took off her top in the girls' locker room where the soccer team was changing. One of the school's board members told The Epoch Times that the students claimed Yates, who at the time, stripped down to her underwear, was still a man.

Another incident occurred in April 2023 during a softball game, when the tennis coach was in a bathroom with a 16-year-old student. The girl's father, Steve Carbaugh, said that his daughter told him that Yates tried to initiate a conversation.

In light of these events, the Gettysburg Area High School decided not to rehire the tennis coach. However, they were unable to find a replacement and Yates was among the tennis coach candidates in July.

There were a series of votes taken with regard to hiring her, one on July 7 that ended in a 3-3 stalemate. Another meeting took place on August 21, that ended in a 6-2 vote in favor of Sasha Yates. Prior to this, the school board's Vice President Michael Dickerson asked for her removal from the human resources recommendations for a coaching job.

However, Yates' contract was renewed despite accusations from another of the Gettysburg Area High School's board members, Michelle Smyers.

Sasha Yates claimed that she was "very moved" by the support she got and was looking forward to guide the school's tennis teams.

“I have been very moved by the outpouring of support that I have received. I am very much looking forward to continuing to support and guide both teams as they represent Gettysburg Area High School in the coming seasons," Yates told Penn Live.

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Martina Navratilova was angered by Sasha Yates' actions

Martina Navratilova at the Italian Open in 2023

Former World No. 1 Martina Navratilova, who has been an outspoken critic regarding transgender athletes, expressed her disgust on finding out about Sasha Yates' incident and the fact that there was a vote about rehiring her or not.

"WTAF?" Navratilova wrote on Twitter.

Martina Navratilova has often spoken out against transgender athletes identifying themselves as women. Recently, she was upset by transgender tennis player Alicia Rowley, winning the USTA National Championships in the women's 55+ category.