Martina Navratilova backs writer amid transgender athlete controversy
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 21, 2026, 1:10 AM
Last updated Aug 21, 2026
Martina Navratilova expressed her support for Matt Calkins, a sports columnist, who resigned from The Seattle Times after the paper declined to publish his column defending Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. Calkins stated he aimed to address issues surrounding transgender participation in women's sports and criticized the newspaper's restrictions on his controversial writings. Following Calkins' announcement, Navratilova tweeted gratitude for his stance, emphasizing that many appreciate his views. This incident has intensified ongoing debates about transgender athletes in sports.
- •Navratilova has publicly opposed transgender women in women's sports.
- •Calkins resigned after his column on transgender issues was not published.
- •The Seattle Times has previously rejected several of his controversial essays.
- •Calkins published his column on his personal Substack after leaving the paper.
- •Navratilova thanked Calkins for his courage in addressing the topic.
- 1:10 AMYahoo Sports — ‘You are doing the right thing’: Martina Navratilova backs writer’s transgender stance
"Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has been outspoken with her views about transgender athletes. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion believes transgender women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports. On Thursday, Navratilova publicly voiced her support for Matt Calkins, a sports columnist for The Seattle Times. Earlier in the day, Calkins announced he…
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