Martina Navratilova deletes tweet about trans athletes after being called transphobic

Martina Navratilova is not having a good week on Twitter. The tennis star drew plenty of criticism Tuesday after sending out a negative tweet about trans athletes.

The tweet — which has now been deleted — read:

“Clearly that can’t be right. You can’t just proclaim yourself a female and be able to compete against women. There must be some standards, and having a penis and competing as a woman would not fit that standard…”

Navratilova’s view on the issue came as a surprise to fans. The 62-year-old Navratilova has been a prominent LGBTQIA activist. After being accused of being transphobic, Navratilova deleted the tweet, and vowed to educate herself on the issue.

Despite that, Navratilova has continued arguing with her Twitter followers. She sent a mixed message regarding the topic Friday, telling Dr. Rachel McKinnon — a trans cyclist — she doesn’t regret anything.

Shortly after sending that message, Navratilova stopped tweeting.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

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