LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
SPORTS Complex |
by Jim Provenzano |
Grand Slam: Martina Navratilova on Fitness and the Politics of Sports
With nine Wimbledon victories, 18 Grand Slam singles titles, and 40 Grand Slam doubles titles, Martina Navratilova is justifiably considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. As if her four decades of accomplishments in tennis aren't enough, Navratilova has authored a new book. Unlike her previous forays into writing (an autobiography and mystery fiction), in Shape Your Self, the 49-year-old tennis legend, who came out as a lesbian in 1981, shares tips on diet, exercise, and physical fitness. "The book is for everybody of any age or shape, whether you want to lose weight or put on weight," Navratilova says. "It's a guide on how to reorganize your life and give you the tools necessary to get to the goals you want to accomplish, whether they're about looking better, [or] having a firmer butt or leaner muscles. "Changing your level of fitness is not only physical; it's a mental thing," she says. "A lot of people don't have the mentality to stick with the program, so I give them all the tools from the perspective of an athlete on how to stick with their goals." About the regimen she presents in her book, Navratilova says it's flexible. "The plan's not set in stone. There's no diet that works all the time. It's very adaptable." Of course, Shaping Your Self is aimed at a wide readership, not only GLBT fans who see her as a terrific longtime role model in athletics. "You don't have to be gay to want to lose weight," she says. Navratilova continues to play tennis, but only doubles or mixed doubles. In order to prevent exhaustion, Navratilova has occasionally taken time off from tennis in recent years. "I did over-train in the 1980s, but I never had any injuries," she says. "I was always good about taking time off. If I only played tennis, I would have been lopsided, so I did other sports to balance my workout." Also on her schedule this summer, Navratilova has signed to endorse Outgames, which will be held in Montreal from July 26 to Aug. 5. She'll speak at the opening ceremonies, but will not be competing in the event's tennis tournament. Asked why she chose to endorse Outgames over the Gay Games, which will be held two weeks earlier in Chicago (July 15-22), Navratilova says, "They [Outgames organizers] wanted to know if I would be interested in speaking, and I said yes. It's also a great way to promote the Rainbow Card." Once an investor and spokesperson, Navratilova is now the owner of the credit card company that donates a portion of its proceeds to GLBT causes. "Now it's my baby," she says. "I'm trying to make it bigger and better than before, so the card's endowment can give away more money." Navratilova had previously endorsed the Gay Games with appearances and recorded video speeches shown at the opening and closing ceremonies of Gay Games IV and V. Her switch to Outgames amid the ongoing rift between organizers of the two events has struck some fans as a change of heart. Navratilova doesn't agree. "I'm aware of the split and what happened," Navratilova says, "But I think there's room for everybody. That's the whole idea, to give people more opportunities for sports. We're all in the same boat; we're trying to pull in the same direction. I want them to come together as one voice. We're so fragmented when everybody's taking sides." Navratilova hopes for an eventual accord between the two major sports organizations, saying, "I would like to promote both the Gay Games and the Outgames, but I think it's great that we have both events. I can't believe that people can't just put their differences aside and look for a common goal. I may be too nave about it all, but I say, the more the merrier." Navratilova is also aware of the reason why some international competitors chose to go to Montreal instead of Chicago, saying, "We need to pay attention to the fact that people want to go to Canada for political reasons." While visitors can get a visa through their countries' local U.S. embassies, Navratilova, who has traveled the world to play tennis, says that in recent years, the prospect of applying for a visa is daunting. She says that invasive applications, from fingerprinting to potential antigay attitudes, have aided attendance at Outgames. "Every [U.S.] embassy in Europe looks like a war zone, with armed guards outside," says Navratilova. "When I walked by the embassy in Rome, it was the most unwelcoming thing I've seen. This is how we tell people to come and visit us?" But for most non-U.S. GLBT athletes, such animosity is aimed at the Bush administration, and not at U.S. citizens or gay athletes in particular. Navratilova has harsh words for the current political climate. "Even the Czech Republic [where she was born before becoming a U.S. citizen in 1981] now has same-sex unions," says Navratilova. "I have more rights there than in the United States. Our country has been hijacked by an administration that is dividing us from the rest of the world and making America into one controlling, dominating government. This is a regime. It's not a democracy." Jim Provenzano is the author of the novels PINS and Monkey Suits. He can be reached care of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth or sportscomplex@qsyndicate.com. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 16, No. 5 May 19, 2006 |