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Martina Navratilova has minced no words about her dislike of female golf stars from the United States agreeing to play in a Saudi Arabia-backed event on home soil. Taking to Twitter, Navratilova wondered if they did not care anymore about the kind of oppressive governments they were legitimizing with their participation.
Nelly Korda, Jessica Korda, Lexi Thompson and Canada's Brooke Henderson are some of the big names roped in to compete in the Aramco Team Series event at Trump Ferry Point as part of the LET (Ladies European Tour).
Agreeing with many other fans that it was a form of "sportswashing," Navratilova commented that it was "wrong" and that she was disappointed in those who chose to sign on to play in the competition.
"This is just so wrong… do they have any idea or these women athletes just don’t care?" Navratilova tweeted.
"Silence is consent, and most of the time that's not acceptable" - Martina Navratilova on why she doesn't shy away from using her social media platform
Martina Navratilova has never shied away from using her social media platform for important causes, the reasons for which she explained in a recent interview. Although the American had initially wanted nothing more than to play tennis, she admitted that she could not ignore the huge platform that was handed to her as a result of her success.
Comparing being silent under such circumstances to standing with the oppressor, Navratilova declared that she decided to use her social media to prompt change and encourage others to follow suit.
"I didn't sign up to be famous, I just played tennis," Martina Navratilova said. "But social media gave me the platform and I use it quite a lot. It depends on the personality of that person and the specific situation of course. I think when you have that platform, you've got to use it, because silence is consent, and most of the time that's not acceptable. So I wish more people will take it seriously."
The 18-time Grand Slam champion is of the opinion that athletes have more reach when compared to most other celebrities, giving them an even bigger social responsibility to better their community and the world.
"Overall, particularly athletes, I think because we got to where we are because we are good and not because we know somebody or we came from the right family," Navratilova said. "I think because of that, you see a lot of athletes have a charitable organization, or they raise money, or they do a lot for the community where they live as well as the world, more so than perhaps other celebrities."
