Martina Navratilova’s one-word response to Megan Rapinoe on welcoming a trans player on the USWNT 

Martina Navratilova has hit back at Megan Rapinoe’s claims that trans women should be able to participate in women’s sports ahead of the soccer star’s final World Cup appearance later this month.

Earlier in July, Rapinoe, 38, revealed that she would have no problem playing with a trans soccer player on the US women’s national team while also confessing that she always though that ex-President Donald Trump was fond of her. 

As her comments went viral, Navratilova, who won 18 major singles titles in her prime, chimed in with a one-word response. 

‘Yikes,’ she tweeted. 

The Czech-born American former professional tennis player, 66, has been married to former Russian model Julia Lemigova since 2014 and is a staunch defender of the gay community though she has previously voiced that she only wants biological women to participate in women’s sports. 

Martina Navratilova opposes Megan Rapinoe on the debate of trans women in women’s sports

Rapinoe has made it clear that she is against the Protection of Girls and Women in Sports Act 

In the spring, she even sided with World Athletics for pushing for a policy omitting transgender female athletes from internationally-recognized women’s competitions, calling it a ‘step in the right direction.’

‘In the wake of World Athletics’ announcement, I think the best idea would be to have ”biological female” and ”biological girls” categories and then an ”open” category,’ she shared in an op-ed in The Times – a British daily national newspaper based in London.

Rapinoe, however, finds herself on the other side of the much-spoken debate and even co-signed a letter with 39 professional athletes addressed to the House in April, opposing the Protection of Girls and Women in Sports Act.

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Her main argument is that the bill would prevent women and girls from receiving ‘mental and physical health benefits,’ no matter if they’re biological or trans females. 

‘It’s particularly frustrating when women’s sports is weaponized,’ Rapinoe told Time Magazine. ‘Oh, now we care about fairness? Now we care about women’s sports? That’s total bulls***. And show me all the trans people who are nefariously taking advantage of being trans in sports.

‘It’s just not happening.’ 

Rapinoe hopes to be part of the first women’s or men’s team to win three World Cups in a row

Rapinoe was awarded with the President Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden in July ’22

Two-time World Cup winner (2015, 2019) also clarified her reasoning behind her stance of accepting a transgender female replacing a biological women on the U.S women’s national team. 

‘You’re taking a ”real” woman’s place,’ that’s the part of the argument that’s still extremely transphobic. I see trans women as real women, Rapinoe said. ‘What you’re saying automatically in the argument — you’re sort of telling on yourself already—is you don’t believe these people are women. 

‘Therefore, they’re taking the other spot. I don’t feel that way.’

Rapinoe is hoping to reach new heights in sports at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand later this month as she aims to be part of the first women’s or men’s team to win the international competition three times in a row. 

What’s more is that the forward announced her intentions to retire by the end of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League season. 

Throughout her glittering career, Rapinoe’s won an Olympic gold medal (London 2012), two World Cups and the women’s Ballon d’Or (2019). She was also the recipient of the President Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden last year.

The women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand starts on July 20. 

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