Tennis legend Martina Navratilova is speaking out against the Paralympics for allowing Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo, a biological male, to compete in the women’s categories at next week’s games.
Navratilova took to social media to express her outrage, calling Petrillo a “pathetic cheater” and criticizing the games for permitting him to participate in the women’s 200 and 400 M races in the T12 class for visually impaired athletes.
Navratilova’s comments come as Petrillo, who has been competing as a male for years, has begun identifying as female and is now seeking to compete in women’s events. Petrillo has won 11 national titles as a male, but now, at the age of 50, claims to have “transitioned” to being female.
The decision to allow Petrillo to compete as a woman has sparked controversy, with Navratilova arguing that it is unfair to female athletes. “Yet another male stealing women’s trophies,” she wrote on social media. “In the Paralympics, no less. Sickening.”
Petrillo’s eligibility to compete as a woman is based on World Para Athletics’ criteria, which relies on testosterone levels and transition times, rather than a ban on males who have transitioned after puberty. Petrillo claims that his participation in women’s events is fair, saying that his biological sex does not necessarily give him an advantage over female athletes.
Despite the controversy, Petrillo has already achieved success in women’s events, winning bronze medals in the 200 m and 400 m races at last year’s World Para Athletics Championships.
