{"id":10881,"date":"2026-08-10T19:08:04","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T19:08:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=10881"},"modified":"2026-08-10T19:08:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T19:08:04","slug":"kanter-and-white-wnba-eligibility-martina-navratilova-reacts-as-former-nba-players-challenge-the-leagues-rules-for-women-international-sports-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=10881","title":{"rendered":"Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Martina Navratilova reacts as former NBA players challenge the league\u2019s rules for women | International Sports News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133125182,imgsize-42824,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/133125182.jpg\" alt=\"Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Martina Navratilova reacts as former NBA players challenge the league\u2019s rules for women\" title=\"Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Martina Navratilova reacts as former NBA players challenge the league\u2019s rules for women\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Martina Navratilova reacts as former NBA players challenge the league\u2019s rules for women\">Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Martina Navratilova reacts as former NBA players challenge the league\u2019s rules for women<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Martina Navratilova has reacted with concern to the WNBA Draft eligibility debate after former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White said they plan to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft.<!-- --> Their announcements have put fresh attention on the league\u2019s current rules, which say women can play but do not clearly explain how gender eligibility should be decided. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has now said league executives will discuss the issue next week.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"3\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Martina Navratilova questions WNBA rules after Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White announcements<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Enes Kanter Freedom, an 11-year NBA veteran, said he had studied the WNBA\u2019s eligibility rules before declaring himself eligible for the April 2027 draft. <!-- -->He argued that the current wording allows him to make the same claim as anyone else who identifies as a woman.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"9\"\/>Royce White followed with his own announcement. The former Sacramento Kings player said he identifies as a woman for professional basketball and plans to enter the same draft. White played only three NBA games during the 2013-14 season.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"11\"\/>The announcements are being treated as a challenge to the WNBA\u2019s rules rather than normal draft entries. White has also called for the league to clearly explain its position. The current WNBA collective bargaining agreement says only players who are women are eligible, but it does not spell out a detailed test for gender eligibility.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/>That is where Navratilova\u2019s reaction comes in. The 18-time Grand Slam champion said, \u201cThe gates have opened. This will force putting in a meaningful rule I hope\u2026.\u201d Her point was simple: if the wording can be used to make claims like these, the league may need to make its standard clearer.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/>Cathy Engelbert has since said the issue will be discussed by WNBA team presidents and general managers at a meeting next week. The league has not announced a new eligibility rule or said that either Freedom or White has been accepted into the draft.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Martina Navratilova backs Aryna Sabalenka over WTA genetic sex testing policy<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Navratilova\u2019s latest WNBA comments also fit with her recent support for a stricter approach in women\u2019s sport. In July, she backed Aryna Sabalenka after the WTA introduced a one-time genetic test for female players. <!-- -->The test checks for the SRY gene, which is linked to the development of male characteristics.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"26\"\/>Sabalenka had said she did not believe it was fair for female athletes to compete against biological males. When Sportbible described her comments as controversial, Navratilova pushed back. \u201cThere is nothing controversial about Aryna\u2019s take on the WTA policy at all. Also- it is not a transgender policy- it\u2019s a sex test for the SRY gene. Period,\u201d she wrote.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>Under the new WTA policy, players must complete the test once as part of the women\u2019s eligibility process. Sportbible reported that testing can involve a cheek swab, blood or saliva sample. The WTA\u2019s official rules also confirm that its women\u2019s eligibility policy applies to players competing on Tour.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"33\"\/>Navratilova has also defended the policy itself. Her response to the WNBA debate now shows the same concern about clear rules in women\u2019s professional sport, especially when existing wording leaves room for different interpretations.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/sports\/international-sports\/kanter-and-white-wnba-eligibility-martina-navratilova-reacts-as-former-nba-players-challenge-the-leagues-rules-for-women\/articleshow\/133125182.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Martina Navratilova reacts as former NBA players challenge the league\u2019s rules for women Martina Navratilova has reacted with concern to the WNBA Draft eligibility debate after former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White said they plan to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. Their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10882,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/133125182.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Kanter and White WNBA eligibility: Martina Navratilova reacts as former NBA players challenge the league\u2019s rules for women Martina Navratilova has reacted with concern to the WNBA Draft eligibility debate after former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White said they plan to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. 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