The allegations were made by a tennis reporter in the wake of a recent incident involving a bus tour advocating for women's rights in sports.
According to the New York Post, Navratilova's image is prominently displayed on the "Take Back Title IX" bus, an initiative of Our Bodies, Our Sports. The bus has been touring the country, advocating for the preservation of women's sports and spaces. However, it recently fell victim to vandalism in Chapel Hill, N.C. Social media images depict the bus smeared with messages accusing the women involved of being anti-trans bigots.
Ben Rothenberg, a tennis reporter, was quick to criticize Navratilova in the aftermath of the incident. "Martina Navratilova turning this anti-trans crusade into her life’s obsession in recent years remains dispiriting! And she turns it into way more transphobic vitriol than just discussing sports fairness, as I’ve covered before, just being nasty and cruel and dehumanizing. Boo," Rothenberg posted on social media.
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Navratilova, a 67-year-old tennis icon, responded to Rothenberg's tweet with a pointed retort. "Yet another man telling women what they should care about. And who are you exactly? Oh yeah, the reporter who tells tennis players its off the record and then prints what they said anyway," she wrote. "Good to know you care about women’s sports and women’s sex-based spaces. I care."
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Rothenberg, a former New York Times writer and host of the "No Challenges Remaining" podcast, then leveled an accusation of cyberbullying at Navratilova. "I’ve never done that. But I care also, about someone who was a beacon of freedom and inclusion in the sport I’ve covered sadly choosing to erode the platform she built with cyberbullying campaigns aimed at obscure, low-level amateur athletes," he wrote. "I wish you were better than that."
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Navratilova, clearly exasperated, responded by blocking Rothenberg. "Cyber bullying- wow. I am blocking you once and for all," she wrote. "For your information I am doing a whole lot more than just tweeting. You can just go away now. Hope I see your nasty self at Wimbledon- if you are there."
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In a separate tweet, Navratilova, who is openly lesbian, labeled those who vandalized the bus as "cowards and anarchists who don’t give a s–t about women."
Navratilova's illustrious career includes 18 women's singles grand slam titles, 31 women's doubles grand slam titles, and 10 mixed doubles grand slam titles, making her one of the most decorated athletes of all time. Her recent involvement in the "Take Back Title IX" initiative underscores her commitment to preserving women's rights in sports, a cause she evidently holds dear, despite the controversy it has stirred.
