Martina Navratilova slams USA Fencing for disqualifying female fencer over her protest against transgender opponent
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has strongly criticized USA Fencing after a female fencer, Stephanie Turner, was disqualified for refusing to compete against a transgender opponent. The controversy unfolded at the Cherry Blossom D1A/Veteran Regional Open Circuit, held at the University of Maryland on Sunday, March 30.
Turner took a knee and declined to engage in a match against Redmond Sullivan, a transgender athlete competing in the women’s division. This prompted officials to issue a black card and expel Turner from the tournament.
Sullivan, previously a competitor in the men's division, transferred to Wagner College’s women’s team in 2024 and has since participated in various female tournaments, including winning the Junior Women’s Foil event at the Connecticut Division Junior Olympic Qualifiers in December 2024.
A video of the incident surfaced on X on Wednesday, April 2, capturing the tense moment between the two fencers. In the footage, Sullivan can be seen approaching Turner and exchanging inaudible words before returning to the other side of the mat.
Shortly after, the referee issued the black card, a penalty indicating disqualification, and Turner exited the competition. The clip quickly gained traction, fueling the already polarizing debate over transgender participation in women’s sports.
Navratilova, known for her outspoken stance on transgender participation in women’s sports, did not hold back in condemning the decision, calling it unfair and unacceptable. Resharing the video of the incident, she wrote:
"This is what happens when female athletes protest! Anyone here still thinks this is fair??? I am fuming… and shame on @USAFencing, shame on you for doing this. How dare you throw women under the gender bullsh*t bus!!!"
In December 2024, the 18-time Grand Slam singles winner took to X to criticize Wagner College's controversial decision to allow transgender athlete Redmond Sullivan to join the female fencing team.
When Martina Navratilova rejected the ‘TERF’ label amid controversy over her views on women’s sports
Martina Navratilova maintained her conviction that transgender athletes are not suitable for competing in sports for women even if she has been deemed a TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist). While speaking about the issue on X in November 2024, she answered one commenter who said it is true that less than two percent of Americans identify as either transgender or nonbinary.
"How many trans-identified males winning against biological girls and women would be too many for you?" Martina Navratilova wrote.
When the user countered her stance and labeled her a 'TERF,' Navratilova fought back, stressing that her advocacy focuses on the preservation of women's rights in sports.