"Unfair, dangerous" - Martina Navratilova laments controversial volleyball star playing on NCAA San Jose State women's team

Martina Navratilova recently commented on a reported transgender player being on the NCAA San Jose State women's volleyball team. The American has been staunchly against allowing transgender athletes in women's sports.

The incident came to light when an account shared on X (formerly Twitter) that a reported transgender player named Blaire Fleming was playing on a women's volleyball team. It must be noted that there is no public information about Fleming's gender.

Beth Bourne wrote:

"Look at the power and height of this male player Blaire Fleming - from today's Iowa Hawkeyes vs. San Jose State women's volleyball game. Is it fair for these women who have worked so hard to be dominated by a mediocre male player?"

Martina Navratilova, who is known for being outspoken against including transgender women in women's sports, took notice of it and said that it was "unfair, dangerous, and sustainable," and could lead to women's athletes being "erased."

"Not just unfair but dangerous and not sustainable. At this rate so many women athletes will be erased," Navratilova wrote.

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Martina Navratilova: "I'm all for trans rights on a civil level"

Martina Navratilova is not against the civil rights of transgenders (Image: Getty)

Martina Navratilova made her stance on transgender athletes clear on an episode of the On With Kara Swisher podcast in November 2023. She said that she was not against trans athletes but wanted a level-playing field in women's sports. The 18-time Grand Slam champion said:

"We are not against trans athletes. We are for women athletes to compete on 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," Navratilova said during her appearance on the On with Kara Swisher podcast.

Navratilova stated that she is in support of transgender rights on a civil level.

"I'm all for trans rights on a civil level, a hundred percent. And this is not against trans athletes. This is against male bodies competing as women if they identify as women. Many sports don't even have any mitigation, any allowance for lowering the testosterone level, et cetera," Navratilova said.

Martina Navratilova maintains a strong online presence, sharing her views on subjects such as transgender athletes in women's sports, politics, and tennis.