Oregon HS state championship: Martina Navratilova reacts to viral video

Tennis icon Martina Navratilova recently shared her thoughts on a controversial incident involving two Oregon high school athletes who refused to stand with a transgender athlete after the girls’ high jump state championships. Reese Eckard from Sherwood High School and Alexa Anderson from Tigard High School chose to step down from the podium rather than share the spot with the transgender athlete who finished in fifth place, while Anderson finished third and Eckard fourth.

The incident, captured on footage obtained by Fox News Digital, showed an official confronting Eckard and Anderson. Navratilova expressed her disappointment in the situation, stating that “women and girls are punished no matter what they do in this misogynistic world.” She emphasized that feminists did not ask for this and that the majority of them never would. Navratilova has been a vocal advocate for protecting women’s sports and has criticized Democratic lawmakers for failing to pass legislation to prohibit males from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.

In a post on social media earlier this year, Navratilova called on Democrats to “grow a spine” after they killed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. She also lamented the fact that President Donald Trump had signed the “No Men in Women’s Sports” executive order, while Democrats did not take similar action. Navratilova urged Democrats to consider the implications of allowing males who identify as transgender to compete in women’s sports, questioning whether they were willing to sacrifice fundamental rights such as abortion, the Constitution, and the rule of law.

The tennis legend’s strong stance on the issue has sparked debate and raised important questions about the future of women’s sports. As some states continue to challenge Trump’s executive order, Navratilova remains a prominent figure in the fight to uphold the integrity of women’s athletics.

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter for the latest updates. Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.