Martina Navratilova slams Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting again | Image Source: Getty
Martina Navratilova has once again criticized controversial boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, this time invoking comparisons to American icons Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky. Navratilova stated that comparing these legendary athletes to the boxers in question is an outright insult.
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Yu-ting and Khelif were at the center of a gender controversy during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The International Boxing Association (IBA) had previously disqualified both athletes from the 2023 World Championships after reportedly failing unspecified gender tests. This sparked global speculation, with some alleging they had male chromosomes.
Recent reports have leaked medical records claiming that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has XY chromosomes, adding to the controversy. It fueled Martina Navratilova, known for her firm stance against transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, who did not hold back her criticism.
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On November 23, the 18-time Grand Slam champion took to X to share an article defending Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting. The article argued that without exceptional abilities, like those of Biles and Ledecky, no athlete would have advanced as far, and that didn’t mean the two boxers were female.
Martina Navratilova wrote:
"Neither of these two boxers have superlative athletic gifts and comparing them to Ledecky and Biles is an insult. They are both XY- males with DSD and all the testosterone!"
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Pritha Ghosh
Pritha is one of the driving forces behind Sportskeeda's tennis & baseball coverage, serving as an assistant content manager and editor. What began as a casual escape from her tiring biotechnology degree course in early 2022 has blossomed into a passion she loves, cherishes, and breathes every day.
Pritha’s love for the sport was spawned by her dad who showed her clips of "GOAT" Steffi Graf’s matches. Despite a thwarted dream of playing professionally due to injury, she finds solace in reporting the sport, while also mentoring other writers to ensure every article is error-free and top-notch. She double checks credible sources, such as the tournament/player handles and big tennis media outlets, and gives proper credit where required.
Pritha's journey at Sportskeeda is marked by nearly 2000 articles and close to 12 million views, with the "dream-come-true" moment of having her article shared by Chris Evert serving as a highlight of her career. A lifelong Wimbledon fan, Pritha also adores Rafael Nadal, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka.
When she's not seeking unique angles to elevate tennis coverage at Sportskeeda, she loves to channel her inner astrophysics "nerd" by exploring new sci-fi series and movies. A big Lionel Messi, Lewis Hamilton, and Randy Orton fan, she is always ready to engage in sports conversations anytime, anywhere, albeit not without a cup of coffee.
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