Sharron Davies accuses BBC’s director of sport of ‘apparent misogyny’
Former Olympian Sharron Davies has blasted the ‘obvious misogyny’ of the BBC‘s new sports chief on the issue of trans competitors in women’s events.
In 2019, Alex Kay-Jelski wrote an article stating that while Ms Davies and tennis icon Martina Navratilova were ‘important’ and ‘influential’ voices on the issue they were ‘not experts’.
The swimming legend, who works as a poolside reporter for the broadcaster, said she had written to the corporation’s director-general Tim Davie asking for an ‘explanation’.
Tennis legend Ms Navratilova earlier branded Mr Kay-Jelski ‘pretty pathetic’ after he blocked her on X over the issue.
His piece, written in The Times, had also suggested having separate categories for trans athletes was comparable to having ‘special categories for Jamaican sprinters and Ethiopian marathon runners’.
Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies (pictured) has blasted the ‘obvious misogyny’ expressed by the BBC ‘s new sports chief on the issue of trans competitors in women’s sport
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova who earlier this week branded the new director of BBC Sport Alex Kay-Jelski as ‘pretty pathetic’
He added: ‘Sounds mad doesn’t it? Nasty, even.’
Ms Davies wrote online: ‘I have written to Tim Davie at the BBC for an explanation of the obvious misogyny suggesting Martina and I with over a combined 100 years in elite women’s sport aren’t experts in women’s sport!
‘Not a good look for the new head of BBC sport and respect for female athletes when world athletics, swimming, cycling and rugby also agree with us and protect fair sport for women from biological males.’
She added: ‘I take personal insult that this ill-informed man compared males in women’s sport to women from Ethiopia or Jamaica having an unfair advantage.’
Both Ms Davies and Ms Navratilova have been vocal in opposing the idea that people who were born biologically male should be able to compete in female sporting events.
The controversy is awkward for Mr Kay-Jelski, who joined the corporation as director of BBC Sport from website The Athletic, where he was editor-in-chief, as both women work on the broadcaster’s sports output.
The two sporting stars took issue with an article written by Mr Kay-Jelski (pictured) on the issue of transgender women in sport, which has been circulated on social media
Ms Navratilova called Mr Kay-Jelski ‘pathetic’ when an article he wrote about trans competitors in sport was re-circulated online
Ms Davies has now joined Ms Navratilova in criticising the views expressed by the new BBC boss in the article
The controversy has drawn in Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling (pictured) who regularly speaks out about protecting women’s rights
The Harry Potter author called the BBC’s new chief ‘unbelievable’ in a post on X
Ms Davies has said she will be resuming her poolside interviewing duties for the BBC at the Olympics in Paris, which start next month.
Earlier this week the BBC also confirmed Ms Navratilova would be part of its team for Wimbledon, which also takes place in July.
Mr Kay-Jelski, who was sports editor at The Times, only started his new role at the BBC earlier this month.
The corporation said it would not make comment on journalism which was carried out for another organisation.
