The Women’s National Basketball Association and its players’ union announced Wednesday that they are committed to strengthening security measures after sitting down together to address a growing wave of racist, hateful, and abusive online messages aimed at players.
The joint statement from the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association came following a meeting between WNBA leadership and members of the union’s executive committee, along with its Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee.
The meeting was called for by the players’ union after a June 24 game incident in which Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas made contact with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark’s throat. Thomas later revealed she had faced a wave of online harassment in the aftermath.
“The conversation underscored the importance of addressing issues early through proactive communication and strengthening the league-union relationship,” the joint statement read.
The statement also noted that “the league committed to continuing to enhance security resources and will work with the players’ union to explore collaborations with organizations that share the values of our league and advance our shared priorities.”
Following the incident, the league upgraded the play to a Flagrant Foul 2 and suspended Thomas for one game. Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White also spoke out, criticizing officials for not calling a foul during the play itself.
Clark, for her part, publicly spoke out against the abuse being directed at players, coaches, and officials in the wake of the controversy.
“Harassment, hate, none of that is okay,” Clark told reporters earlier this month. “That goes for the opposing teams we play, that goes for my teammates, that goes for my coaches.”
This isn’t the first time the league has had to confront the issue. The WNBA introduced a player safety program last year after athletes raised alarms that racist and sexist abuse had become an unintended side effect of the league’s booming popularity.
The league already has security protocols in place, with both league and team personnel working to evaluate threats and coordinate with law enforcement when the situation calls for it.
“Yesterday’s discussion marked the beginning of an ongoing dialogue, and we are united in our commitment to building on this work together,” the WNBA and WNBPA said in closing.
