Former Women’s Tennis Star Martina Navratilova Calls for Sebastian Coe to Become Next IOC President
Martina Navratilova, a former women’s tennis star, has expressed her desire to see Sebastian Coe become the next president of the International Olympics Committee (IOC). The key issue that drives Navratilova’s endorsement is banning trans athletes from women’s competition, an issue she has been a prominent advocate of.
Coe, the current head of World Athletics, has been a vocal opponent of trans inclusion in women’s sports. In his manifesto for his vision as IOC president, Coe stressed the importance of protecting female athletes and said he would explore a complete ban on trans athletes in the female category.
Coe has also tightened the regulations on trans athletes in World Athletics, excluding transgender women who have gone through male puberty from competing in the female category. He believes that the new Olympic policy on trans inclusion will “probably” reflect the one he has established in World Athletics.
Navratilova re-shared an article about Coe’s stances on the issue and wrote, “IOC’s shift may alter DSD (Differences of Sexual Development) trans rules – here is hoping Seb Coe is the next president!”
Coe’s opposition to trans inclusion in women’s sports is a significant departure from the current IOC president, Thomas Bach, who has supported the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s competitions. The issue has been a controversial topic in the world of sports, with some arguing that trans athletes have a competitive advantage and others arguing that they should be allowed to compete as their gender identity.
The controversy surrounding trans athletes in women’s sports was highlighted at the recent Paris Olympics, where two athletes who had previously been disqualified from international competitions for failing gender-eligibility tests were allowed to compete. Coe has said that the situation made him feel “uncomfortable.”
