Martina Navratilova fooled by fake image of controversial Olympic boxer Imane Khelif

Retired tennis star Martina Navratilova was recently the subject of ridicule on social media after being called out for her comments on a fake picture of Iranian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif.

Khelif was the subject of controversy during the Paris Olympic Games, where she won the gold medal in the women’s welterweight boxing event. However, many people refused to acknowledge her accomplishment, after her biological gender had been questioned.

A picture that showed Khelif wearing nothing but a pair of pants with a male-like physique was posted to social media on Monday. The image had been digitally altered, but Navratilova appeared unaware of this as the former World No.1 made her opinion known soon after it went viral.

"What we have been saying for months. And for calling his person a man or at least a male, we got called all kinds of names and most of all the women this male took medals and wins from. Just awful," wrote Navratilova on Twitter.

However, the fake image was accompanied by a reader's added context box that explained: “This is a digitally generated image. It is not necessary to use fake images to make a point about protecting women’s sports.”

This is not the first time Navratilova has made comments about Khelif, as the former Wimbledon champion took shots at the Iranian after she was referenced by former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies earlier this week.

"And here we are. Imane might have been raised as a woman but Imane is a biological male and should not have been allowed to box at the Olympics,” wrote Navratilova on social media.