Margaret Court, a tennis legend who has won each of the sport’s four major tournaments several times and created controversy over her anti-LGBT visions, is scheduled to be honored on Australia Day.
However, the decision to give her the Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia, which is “awarded for eminent achievements and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or to humanity in general”, provoked a massive reaction. The award is scheduled to be delivered on Tuesday, Australia Day.
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Opinions about the court have changed since she played on the tennis courts. Court, now a Pentecostal minister, has spoken openly about her disagreement with LGBT rights and same-sex marriage in Australia. His criticisms sparked calls for Australia to change the name of Margaret Court Arena, one of the locations of the annual Australian Open.
The decision to award the honor to the Court on Australia Day received criticism from Australian politicians. Former tennis star Martina Navratilova did not openly criticize the decision, but retweeted the Court’s scrutiny.
“I don’t give these gongs. This is not a problem for me; this is for others. You may want to talk to them about why they think these opinions, which are shameful, painful and costing lives, should be honored,” Victoria Prime Minister Daniel Andrews said Friday, via The Guardian.
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Andrews added more in a tweet.
Anthony Albanese of the Australian Labor Party also tweeted about the decision.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison made no comment on the Court’s honor.
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“I cannot comment on an award made through an independent process that has not been announced or I have no official knowledge of these things,” he said.