"There is no ban on trans women in sports. They just need to compete in the proper category which is the male category," Martina Navratilova tells BBC in a new interview.

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, June 19, 2025
Photo credit: Avantist

Martina Navratilova says the WTA is wrong to permit transgender women to play women's tennis.

Hall of Famer Navratilova says allowing transgender women to compete against biological women not only creates an unfair playing field, it takes job opportunities away from biological women because "now a male has taken her place."

In a wide-ranging new interview with BBC's Ashitha Nagesh, the former world No. 1 reiterated her long-stated stance that the WTA is wrong in allowing trans women to compete on the Tour.

"There should be no ostracism, there should be no bullying," Navratilova told BBC. "But male bodies need to play in male sports. They can still compete. There is no ban on transwomen in sports.

"They just need to compete in the proper category which is the male category. It's that simple."

The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion suggested women are being treated as second-class citizens in their own sport. Navratilova said it's frustrating and wrong that "we always seems to put trans rights ahead of women's rights."

"By including male bodies in the women's tournament, now somebody is not getting into the tournament – a woman is not getting into the tournament because now a male has taken her place," Navratilova told BBC.

For years, Navratilova has been one of the most outspoken critics of the WTA policy on trans women playing tennis, writing a controversial editorial for The Times on the topic.

Here is the WTA rule on transgender women competing on the women's tour from the WTA Rulebook:

"Eligibility conditions for biological males with a female or non-binary gender identity In cases falling within clause 2.1.2, to be eligible to compete in WTA Tournaments, a biological male with a female or non-binary gender identity must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the WTA Medical Manager that they meet each of the following requirements (together, the Eligibility Conditions): They must provide a written and signed declaration, in a form satisfactory to the WTA, that their gender identity is female or non-binary, and they must maintain a female or non-binary gender identity for so long as they wish to retain eligibility to compete in WTA Tournaments.

"Before they compete in their first WTA Tournament, the concentration of testosterone in their blood must have been below 2.5 nmol/L continuously for the previous twenty four (24) months. The concentration of testosterone in their blood must remain below 2.5 nmol/L at all times thereafter (i.e., whether they are in competition or out of competition) for so long as they wish to retain eligibility to compete in WTA Tournaments."

In a Wimbledon press conference last July, a journalist asked: "Martina, have you faced any backlash regarding your comments on women's tennis and transgender players?"

Navratilova replied: "Where have you been?

"Backlash? Where have you been? I've been jettisoned by a lot of the groups in the LGBT community," Navratilova replied. "But, you know, I've been speaking my mind for a long time. I'm not going to change that.

"Yes, it's been pretty rough. But I know I'm on the right side of history. I'm right on most people's opinion about women's sex-based spaces, and especially sports. They need to stay female."

The owner of 59 Grand Slam titles across all disciplines, Navratilova has been branded "transphobic" by some critics, who say this is a human rights issue.

The left-hander has publicly battled figures ranging from soccer star Megan Rapinoe to Harry Potter star Daniel Ratcliffe to the USTA over transgender athletes participation in women's sports.

In an interview with Time Magazine last year, Rapinoe suggested Navratilova was not only weaponizing women's sports, she implied critical comments by Navratilova, comedian Dave Chappelle and former ESPN star Sage Steele were leading to violence against trans people.  

“It’s particularly frustrating when women’s sports is weaponized,” Rapinoe told Time Magazine. “Oh, now we care about fairness? Now we care about women’s sports? That’s total b*llsh*t. And show me all the trans people who are nefariously taking advantage of being trans in sports. It’s just not happening…

"Dave Chappelle making jokes about trans people directly leads to violence, whether it’s verbal or otherwise, against trans people. When Martina or Sage or whoever are talking about this, people aren’t hearing it just in the context of elite sports. They’re saying, ‘The rest of my life, this is how I’m going to treat trans people."

Speaking at Wimbledon last July, Navratilova acknowledges it's become a political issue, but maintains she views it as a women's rights issue.

"But the politics have been kind of crazy about that. It's become very political when it shouldn't be when it comes to women's rights," Navratilova said. "We seem to put the trans rights ahead of women's rights, particularly for males that identify as women.

"Women are asked to be kind and be inclusive, yet by including transgender-identified males in women's sports, you're excluding women.

Navratilova said response to her stance has "been pretty rough in the LGBT community," but says she's also received some positive reaction.

"Anyway, it's a long story. I won't go into too many details. Yeah, it's been pretty rough in the LGBT community," Navratilova said. "But at the same time, I went to a drag queen show in Miami a couple months ago. I was wondering how it would be.

"Everybody just couldn't have been nicer, including the drag queens, including everybody else there. I felt very loved by the community as a whole, but you wouldn't think that when you hear from some of those spokespeople at these groups. I'm good where I am and I'll keep fighting the fight."

In an interview with Kara Swisher of New York Magazine's Intelligencer, Navratilova was asked why her position changed on transgender athletes competing in women's sports. Navratilova supported transgender tennis player Dr. Renee Richards playing the WTA Tour in her era. The pair are good friends and Richards later coached Navratilova.

Navratilova asserts she believes trans women will eventually dominate women's sports and says her stance is about creating a level playing field for women rather than excluding and discriminating against trans athletes.

"This is not against trans athletes. This is against male bodies competing as women, if they identify as women," Navratilova told Kara Swisher. "Many sports don’t even have any mitigation, any allowance for lowering the testosterone level, et cetera.

"But what has been proven, even when you do take those testosterone blockers or hormone therapy, even after 15 years, male bodies still retain physical advantage over women athletes.

"So we are not against trans athletes. We are for women athletes to compete in as level a playing field as possible. Which means the males, who now identify as women, should compete in a male category. And women who identify as men but don’t take testosterone can compete as women. Because there is still no advantage physically over other women athletes. That’s all that’s about."