Tennis legend Martina Navratilova slams transgender athlete’s coronation in cycling

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova denounced the victory of a transgender athlete in a women’s cycling competition this week, saying that this kind of situation will happen “more and more”, according to comments quoted by the Daily Mail.

Navratilova, holder of 18 Grand Slam singles titles, believes “women’s sports are not the place for trans athletes who were born male”.

Last weekend, American cyclist Austin Killips became the first transgender to win an International Cycling Union (UCI) race.

Aged 27, Killips won the Tour de Gila in New Mexico on Sunday, also winning the polka dot jersey, awarded to the best climber.

“New consultations”

Transgender cyclists are currently allowed to compete in UCI women’s events, provided they have reduced their testosterone levels to 2.5 nanomoles per liter over a two-year period.

Following Killips’ victory – by 89 seconds over her nearest overall rival – the UCI, however, said it would hold further consultations with athletes and national federations regarding the regulations.

The federation wants to ensure that “the playing field is equal for all competitors”.

She wants to ‘inspire’

Faced with the discontent aroused by her victory, especially among some of her opponents, the cyclist pointed out that it was “difficult to be part of the ‘others'”.

«[Les athlètes] queer, trans or non-binary want to inspire, compete, practice their sport, she said in an interview with the Cycling News website. […] Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t distance myself from reality. Other queer or trans people see what I do, and it impacts them.”

An “open” category?

This isn’t the first time Navratilova, 66, has spoken out about trans athletes in sport. In March, the American highlighted the decision of the World Athletics, the international federation that oversees athletics, to ban trans women from women’s competitions.

Navratilova would like to see an “open” category created in certain sports. “Biological women should be able to compete against biological women,” she told FOX News. This is their best chance of winning and that a principle of justice is upheld.”