Auction of 1st posthumous George award
Row as TV’s Gabby backs claim transgender women have advantage in sport
HEROIC Sgt Garside in 70s THE first George Medal to be awarded posthumously – to an army instructor who died saving a recruit – has emerged for sale.
Sergeant David Garside was teaching live grenade throwing when a recruit activated the weapon – and then froze with fear.
Sgt Garside pushed him out of the way but took the brunt of the blast.
The paratrooper died from his injuries after the incident in Sennybridge, South Wales in 1979.
The 33-year-old served with 10th Battalion, Parachute Regiment and worked as a motoring boss in Basingstoke, Hants.
A private collector is selling it in London on April 10 for an expected £8,000. Marcus Budgen, of auctioneers Spink & Son, said: “The true bravery of Sgt Garside is so moving.” BBC sports presenter Gabby Logan is backing the athletes who believe transgender women have an unfair physical advantage over opponents.
She waded into the row by saying women’s sport needs to be “protected”.
Gabby spoke out after tennis legend Martina Navratilova revealed she would be unhappy about competing against transgender women as it is “not fair”.
Ex-swimming champ Sharron Davies said many current athletes “feel the same way”, and trans athletes should not take part in female events.
Gabby, 45, said: “I think we need to protect women’s sport, that’s why I think it’s good what Sharron Davies is doing at the moment, in terms of talking about it...
“[She] has been very vocal. She’s been on a lot of TV shows and talked about it a lot on her social media. As TV presenter Gabby with a lot of female athletes, she’s had a lot of abuse, a lot of criticism from the transgender community who are very upset that she has spoken out.
“But we’re dealing with science here. This is not about attacking a community, it’s about saying: how can we make this a fair place for women to compete?”
As a teenager, Gabby represented Wales in rhythmic gymnastics at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
US star Martina, 62, who won the Wimbledon women’s singles title a record nine times, was praised but also slammed for her remarks. She said:
“I am happy to address a transgender woman in whatever form she prefers, but I would not be happy to compete against her. It would not be fair. “To put the argument at its most basic: a man can decide to be female, take hormones if required by whatever sporting organisation is concerned, win everything in sight and perhaps earn a small fortune, and then reverse his decision and go back to making babies if he so desires.” Martina and 56-year-old Sharron, who won silver for Britain at the 1980 Olympics and two golds for England at the 1978 Commonwealth Games, were criticised by transgender woman Rachel McKinnon, who last year won gold in the LEGENDS Martina, left, and Sharron sparked backlash
Rachel McKinnon, centre, wins world title last year Masters Track World Cycling Championship.
The Canadian said previously: “There is no debate to be had over whether transwomen athletes have an unfair advantage: it’s clear that they don’t.”
International Olympic Committee guidelines say athletes who have transitioned from male to female must keep levels of testosterone, which increases muscle mass, below a certain level for at least 12 months to be able to compete in women’s events.
Those who transitioned from female to male compete without restrictions. ■ With Birmingham set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022, Gabby has launched the #GetActiveBrum campaign after a recent £10million National Lottery grant to tackle physical inactivity in Birmingham and Solihull. GABBY LOGAN HAS HER SAY ON THE CONTROVERSY
This is not about attacking a community. It’s about science