Martina Navratilova blows up US Tennis Association after transgender star Alicia Rowley won women’s national tournament, claiming the sport is ‘not for failed male athletes’
Martina Navratilova has criticized the US Tennis Association (USTA) for its stance on transgender athletes participating in women’s tennis tournaments.
It comes as transgender tennis star Alicia Rowley has reportedly become the latest player to win a Women’s National Tennis Championship and “the coveted Ballon d’Or.”
The Independent Council for Women’s Sports (ICONS) posted the news on Twitterstating that Rowley recently won the Women’s 55+ Grass Court National Championship and National Indoor Singles and Doubles Championship.
The USTA states in her Transgender Inclusion Policy that trans athletes should be included and not blocked from playing the sport.
The document states: ‘It is necessary to ensure, as far as possible, that transgender athletes are not excluded from the opportunity to participate in sports competitions.
Martina Navratilova (right) has criticized the US Tennis Association (USTA) for its stance on transgender athletes
It comes after transgender tennis player Alicia Rowley became the last Women’s National Tennis Champion
ICON co-founder Kim Shasby Jones called on the US Tennis Association to ‘change their policy’ that says trans athletes should not be banned from playing the sport
‘The overarching sporting goal is and remains the guarantee of fair competition. Restrictions on participation are appropriate to the extent necessary and proportionate to the achievement of this objective.”
But following the news that Rowley had won the national tennis championship, ICONS co-founder Kim Shasby Jones tagged Navratilova and Chrissie Evert in a tweet claiming that the USTA’s transgender policy should be changed.
“Hey @USTA @WTA @Martina @ChrissieEvert,” Shasby Jones wrote. “Women’s tennis is becoming a joke because of these appalling policies that prioritize men’s mental health and identity over women who have discovered a love for tennis.
“The women call us and beg for help to play fair. They complained; they don’t know where else to go. Men win national titles, take the place of women in team tennis and compete in women’s tournaments around the country.
“We need to let the women and girls who play tennis know that they deserve to be treated fairly and recognized for their achievements, no matter when they take up the sport.
And Navratliova responded to the ICONS co-founder on Twitter, saying: ‘This is not good and not fair’
In their Transgender Inclusion Policy, the USTA says, “It is imperative to ensure, as far as possible, that transgender athletes are not excluded from the opportunity to participate in sports competitions.
“They don’t have to achieve any elite status. There is already a category for male athletes who can enjoy this privilege. Let female athletes also enjoy the game of tennis.
“Change the policy,” she added, addressing the governing bodies. “And change your stance @BillieJeanKing – don’t let these women and this sport down any longer.”
In response, 16-time Grand Slam champion Navratilova wrote, ‘Come on @USTA – women’s tennis is not for failed male athletes – regardless of age.
“This is not right and it is not fair. Would this be allowed at the US Open this month? Only with self ID? I do not think so…’
For competitive and recreational purposes, the USTA does not require transgender athletes to affirm their gender identity status, but does require those who play professionally to meet certain conditions.
Their Transgender Inclusion Policy reads, “On the competitive and recreational side of the equation, the USTA takes the position that we don’t need confirmations of gender identity status. Above all, we do not want to be an obstacle to recreational participation.
“We try to respect all individuals and we assume that players competing by these rules are not doing so to gain a competitive advantage, but to enjoy participating in a way that makes them feel comfortable.”
For professional competitions, it adds, “Those transitioning from male to female are eligible to compete in the female category under the following conditions: The athlete has certified that her gender identity is female. The statement cannot be changed for sporting purposes for at least four years.
“Hormonal therapy appropriate for the assigned gender has been administered in a verifiable manner and for a sufficient time to minimize gender-related benefits in sports competition.”
Last year, she challenged Billie Jean King (right) on Twitter after the American voiced her support for “Trans youth deserve to play and thrive.”
It comes after the president of a Wyoming tennis association, Jackie Fulkrod, resigned last week in protest of a decision to allow a transgender female player, Brooklyn Ross, to compete in the women’s singles category of the Governor’s Cup. .
said Fulkrod Cowboy state newspaper“I think a man playing against a woman is a very unfair game if it’s specifically for women in that particular draw,” she told Cowboy State Daily.
“My decision to step down was based solely on the fact that we had no way to protect our organization or our female athletes who will play in the tournament,” added Fulkrod.
This isn’t the first time Navratilova has published her views on transgender athletes competing in female sports categories.
In March, she said the World Athletics’ decision to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s categories was “a step in the right direction” before calling for an “open category for all.”
In December 2022, the 66-year-old also responded to a Tweet from Billie Jean King, who had expressed her support for trans athletes.
Jean King had written, “The Federal Court of Appeals just upheld Connecticut’s trans-inclusive athletics policy.” She added, “Trans youth deserve to play and thrive.”
“I totally disagree, inclusion at the expense of exclusion is not inclusion,” Navratilova replied.
“No one is forbidding transgender people to compete — they just have to compete in the biological category rather than a self-ID category.
“Or one day there will be three categories or two categories: one for everyone and one for biological women only. But they can participate now.’
British rowing announced last week it would ban trans athletes from competing in female sporting competitions, following the UCI, cycling’s world governing body, which also banned trans athletes from competing in female events in July.