Martina Navratilova did not hold back while criticizing California Governor Gavin Newsom over transgender athlete participation in girls sports. The tennis legend spoke out after a biological male athlete from Jurupa Valley High School qualified for the girls track and field championships in California. The athlete had also won multiple state finals last year, which again sparked debate around fairness in women’s sports.
Navratilova’s Strong Reaction
Navratilova, who has been one of the loudest voices supporting women athletes, said Newsom has the power to stop the situation but is choosing not to act. Writing on X, formerly Twitter, she called the current rules “cheating” and directly blamed the Governor for allowing them to continue. The issue has now become bigger than just one competition. Olympic stars Nancy Hogshead and Kaillie Humphries also joined the criticism, while protests and legal investigations connected to California school sports policies continue to grow. The Governor’s office, however, defended the current law and said Newsom supports “fairness, dignity, and respect” for all students.
Navratilova’s Social Media Outburst
Martina Navratilova strongly reacted after reports confirmed that the Jurupa Valley High School athlete would compete in the girls championships. Sharing her thoughts on X, she wrote, “Cheating… which at the moment the rules allow. Thanks for nothing Gavin Newsom.” In another post, she added, “Newsom could overturn this in a second. No excuse.” The former tennis world No. 1 also shared comments from Olympic swimming legend Nancy Hogshead, who has publicly opposed transgender participation in women’s sports.
Nancy Hogshead’s Criticism
Hogshead, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and civil rights attorney, told Fox News Digital that Newsom is failing female athletes. “Governor Newsom seems to exclude girls from his own standard of fairness, dignity and respect,” Hogshead said. “It is impossible to include a male however they identify into girls sports and have a fair competition respecting and dignifying the unique biology of females.” She continued by saying, “Females aren’t weakened males. Males and females are built from different molds.” Hogshead also called the Governor’s handling of the issue “a big fail.”
Kaillie Humphries Weighs In
Olympic bobsled champion Kaillie Humphries also criticized the California Governor while speaking to Fox News Digital. Humphries said, “There is nothing fair about allowing boys to take opportunities from girls in sports.” She further added that Newsom should focus on California preparing to host the Olympics instead of pushing policies she believes are unfair to female athletes.
Governor’s Office Response
Meanwhile, Newsom’s office defended the current rules by pointing to a California law passed in 2013. The law allows students to compete in sports based on their gender identity. A spokesperson for the Governor said Newsom rejects “cynical attempts to weaponize this debate” and believes discussions should be handled with “fairness, dignity, and respect.”
Growing Controversy
The controversy has continued to grow across California. A “Save Girls Sports” protest is planned for Saturday during the playoff meet. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit connected to alleged Title IX violations remains active, while the Department of Education has expanded investigations into several institutions across the state.
