Rachel McKinnon, centre, celebrates being the first transgender woman to win a female cycling world title. Bronze medallist Jen Wagner-Assali, right, said the contest was not fair

Martina Navratilova, the nine-times Wimbledon singles champion, has attacked the “insane” practice of allowing male-born transgender athletes to compete against biological women.

Writing for The Sunday Times, Navratilova describes it as “cheating”, saying that hundreds of trans athletes have “achieved honours as women that were beyond their capabilities as men”.

She adds: “It is surely unfair on women who have to compete against people who, biologically, are still men. I am happy to address a transgender woman in whatever form she prefers, but I would not be happy to compete against her.”

Navratilova, who became a target for abuse after coming out as gay in 1981, said she deplored the “tyranny” of transgender activists who “denounce anyone who argues against them”. She writes: “I