Quote:Martina Navratilova, the record nine-time Wimbledon champion, has re­iterated that she will keep fighting for sex-based sports.

The Czech-born American, 67, speaking on the eve of the tournament, has repeated her views that including transgender women in women’s sports excludes women.

Navratilova, who came out as gay in 1981, said she had been “jettisoned” by some in the LGBT community for her views but would speak her mind. “It’s been pretty rough but I know I’m on the right side of history. I’m right on most people’s opinion about women’s sex-based spaces, and especially sports. They need to stay female,” she said.

“The politics have been kind of crazy about that. It’s become very political when it shouldn’t be when it comes to women’s rights. We seem to put trans rights ahead of women’s rights, particularly for males that identify as women.

“Women are asked to be kind and be inclusive, yet by including transgender-identified males in women’s sports, you’re excluding women,” she said.