"Canada has lost its collective mind" - Martina Navratilova condemns transfer of convicted sex offender to women's facility after transgender surgery

Martina Navratilova has reacted strongly to the news of Adam Laboucan, now known as Tara Desousa, being transferred to a women's correctional facility after undergoing gender-transitioning surgery.

In 1997, then-15-year-old Adam Laboucan sexually assaulted a three-month-old baby boy in British Columbia. The infant was left severely injured after the attack, necessitating his transport to Vancouver for reconstructive surgery.

In 1999, Laboucan, aged 17, received a rare indeterminate prison sentence and was proclaimed the country's youngest criminally violent sex offender.

Laboucan was transferred to the Fraser Valley Institution for Women in Abbotsford, which also houses a mother and child unit, in February 2023 after receiving gender-transitioning surgery and taking on the name Tara Desousa.

The co-founder of Reddux magazine, Genevieve Gluck, who reported on the news at the time of the transfer, recently reshared her article on social media.

"A man who raped a child to the point of needing reconstructive surgery has said he identifies as a woman and is incarcerated in a women's correctional facility with a mother and child unit," Gluck posted.

Upon coming across Gluck's report, Martina Navratilova condemned the transfer and criticized Canada and its judicial system.

"Canada has lost its collective mind on this...." Navratilova posted.

"Hard to believe I am getting c**p" - Martina Navratilova surprised to receive hate for opposing WTA's possible Saudi Arabia deal

Martina Navratilova

With reports of the WTA Finals being held in Saudi Arabia doing the rounds, Martina Navratilova told sports journalist Jon Wertheim that if she was still an active player on the tour, she would not have traveled to the Arab country for the year-end finals.

"I can tell you 100 per cent if I were still playing, I would not be going (to Saudi Arabia) for the championships," Navratilova said.

After being subjected to criticism for her remarks, the 18-time Grand Slam champion expressed disbelief and frustration on social media.

"Hard to believe I am getting c**p for saying I would not go play tennis in Saudi Arabia. From all kinds of angles. WTAF???" Navratilova wrote.

Alongside Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert also took a stance against the WTA Finals reportedly being held in Saudi Arabia, citing concerns about the country's human rights issues and treatment of women.

"I mean, for me, I would prefer not to go to Saudi Arabia to play the WTA Finals. Not that I’m going to go play, but for me, I would prefer the WTA not go to Saudi Arabia. Obviously they have the human rights issues and everything, just the way they treat women. I would be against it. But I don’t have a vote," Evert said, as per the New York Post.