The WNBA has issued a statement slamming fans for “racist” behavior and vowing to put an end to it by “monitoring” fans in the stands.
The league put out its statement after Connecticut Sun All-Star Alyssa Thomas went on a tirade against “racist” fans during her team’s two playoff games against the Indiana Fever and its star rookie Caitlin Clark.
“The WNBA is a competitive league with some of the most elite athletes in the world,” the league’s statement read. “While we welcome a growing fan base, the WNBA will not tolerate racist, derogatory, or threatening comments made about players, teams and anyone affiliated with the league. League security is actively monitoring threat-related activity and will work directly with teams and arenas to take appropriate measures, including involving law enforcement, as necessary.
The WNBA’s statement came on the heels of complaints delivered after game two of the WNBA playoffs by Alyssa Thomas, who accused Caitlin Clark fans of being “racists.”
“I think in my 11-year career, I’ve never experienced the racial comments [like] from the Indiana Fever fan base,” Thomas said, according to the New York Post.
“It’s unacceptable, honestly, and there’s no place for it. We’ve been professional throughout the whole entire thing, but I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media, and there’s no place for it. Basketball is headed in a great direction, but we don’t want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial things,” she exclaimed.
Many fans, though, turned the accusation of racism back around onto the WNBA itself for turning a blind eye to what seems like a concerted effort by black players to cause physical harm to Caitlin Clark on the court.
The WNBA may have a problem with “racism” being thrown its way, and that certainly must be dealt with. However, ignoring what spurred that racism and acting as if the league itself is blameless does not help the WNBA root out such behavior.
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