Doug PollardMartina's Rainbow
This is the Rainbow that Tennis Australia didn't want you to see.
Navratilova wore it during her legends match Sunday.
Tiny, isn't it?
Yet such is the power of one tiny rainbow, such is the terror it inspires in the hearts of Tennis Australia, Navratilova's image did not appear in the already very limited coverage of her Legends doubles match.
Because of this one tiny rainbow, against all convention, Tennis Australia decorated the match report on their own website with a picture of the losers of the match, instead of the winners.
Now they're thrashing about trying to justify themselves. But their statement on the subject is full of holes. Holier than a Margaret Court sermon.
"There were more than 25 people in Martina’s press conference and at no stage was anything censored."
During the conference, maybe - after all, people were watching. But what about beforehand? On the side? Informally?
"A number of the journalists present had previously asked Tennis Australia about our position on Margaret Court’s comments and been provided with our statement."
Which is completely irrelevant to the immediate issue.
The unasked question here is: When are they going to implement proper enforceable anti-discrimination policies covering sexual orientation and gender identity with the same rigour that they have applied to the issue of women and race.
Their answer is: we gave you a statement. And that's all you're getting
"We completely refute the allegation that Tennis Australia in any way restricted coverage of Navratilova’s match yesterday. Decisions on TV coverage are made independently by broadcasters and main draw matches will always receive more coverage than legends doubles exhibitions."
Perhaps because you didn't have to. Perhaps a quiet word in a corridor, or while sharing a urinal is all it takes.
And what about your own website? What about press pictures? What about celebrating that rainbow instead of wasting all this time and energy evading it?
The awful irony is that they claim to be 'too busy' to even make a public statement that they will tackle their homophobia going forward.
While spending huge amounts of time and energy to shore it up and reinforce it.
Tennis Australia - Fail. Time to face up to your responsibilities to the millions of gays and lesbians who love the game. Better than you do.
