Caitlin Clark denounces racist fan behavior after WNBA playoff exit: ‘Those aren’t fans, those are trolls’ /dn

Caitlin Clark denounces racist fan behavior after WNBA playoff exit: ‘Those aren’t fans, those are trolls’

Clark’s teammates and opponents have been targeted online and in person throughout the season

How did the Sun fend off Caitlin Clark and the Fever’s offense in Game 1?

Scroll back up to restore default view.

After toxic fan behavior seemed to reach a boiling point earlier this week, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark condemned the racism and hate that has been directed at WNBA players this season. The rookie was asked about the issue during her end-of-season news conference on Friday.

“Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism, (or) hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments and threats,” Clark said. “Those aren’t fans, those are trolls, and it’s a real disservice to the people in our league.”

Online hate is a problem that the WNBA has been dealing with all season, as an influx of new fans also led to an increase in hateful comments directed at some of the league’s Black players. Clark has driven a lot of new attention to the league, but her popularity has also brought more vitriol from trolls who claim to be fans of Clark or the Fever.

Clark has pushed back against that idea before: “People should not be using my name to push those agendas,” she said in June.

On Friday, Clark said that she wants to focus on promoting positive attention in the league.

“There are so many great players, there are so many great teams, there are so many positive storylines that can be written and celebrated, and for me that’s why I became a fan of this league,” Clark said. “These people were my idols. I grew up wanting to be like them. So I think continuing to uplift and represent this league in a positive way is the best thing that we can do.”

Throughout the year, Clark’s teammates and opponents have been targets, both online and in person, of racist and hateful comments. However, things reached a boiling point this week during the WNBA playoffs, as the Connecticut Sun swept the Indiana Fever to advance to the semifinals. Sun guard DiJonai Carrington received significant abuse — including death threats — after accidentally poking Clark in the eye during Game 1.

After Game 2, Connecticut star Alyssa Thomas addressed the issue, saying that the online hate this year had been worse than in previous seasons.

“I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media and there’s no place for it,” Thomas said in a postgame news conference.

The WNBA released a statement Wednesday condemning racism and hate against players.

“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,” the statement said.

On Friday, the WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) released a statement on social media standing up for the players, and calling out USA Today columnist Christine Brennan by name. On Tuesday, Brennan asked Carrington if she deliberately hit Clark in the eye, which the WNBPA alleged was a “blatant attempt to bait a professional athlete into participating in a narrative that is false and designed to fuel racist, homophobic and misogynistic vitriol on social media.”

In the statement, the WNBPA called on USA Today to address what it calls “clear bias and ulterior motives” in Brennan’s reporting.

“Our relationship with the media is a delicate one that we will continue to strengthen because the media is essential to growing the game,” the WNBPA wrote. “But the players are entitled to better. They are entitled to professionalism.”

Later Friday, USA Today released a statement supporting Brennan, saying “We reject the notion that the interview perpetuated any narrative other than to get the player’s perspective directly.”

Relative Articles

None found

Related Posts

DIDDY vs. CHRIS BROWN: How This EXPLOSIVE SHOWDOWN Unfolded in the MOST SHOCKING Way! (PO)

Singer Chris Brown performing at Crypto.com Arena on August 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California Photo: Kayla DeLaura (Getty Images) While the forthcoming Diddy documentary is currently in the…

THE TRUTH REVEALED! Chris Brown’s MOST SHOCKING Confessions About the Rihanna Incident—You Won’t Believe What He Said! (PO)

The singer gets candid in his ‘Welcome to my Life’ documentary. Chris Brown may be the most talented star of the last two generations. He’s certainly been one…

Kim Kardashian has been SLAMMED and ROASTED for Bad Parenting after North West recently Escalates Feud with Taylor Swift by Reposting Controversial Video Mocking the Singer on TikTok! – “How could Kim allow this…” (PO)

In the world of celebrity parenting, few incidents have sparked as much controversy and criticism as the recent escalation of a long-standing feud involving Kim Kardashian’s daughter,…

Hot News : Look at my daughter’s red hair: Meghan Markle publicly shared a photo of her daughter, Lilibet, for the first time, leaving the entire UK stunned, as She declared Lilibet’s biological father turns out to be…” (PO)

Royal News January off Meghan Markle Shares First Public Photo of 4-Year-Old Lilibet, Surprising the Nation: “I’ve Worked Hard to Raise Lilibet to Become…” In a move…

Breaking News: Lady Gaga, 38, is engaged to boyfriend Michael Polansky, 46, after four years of dating: ‘My fiance!’ and also announce they are expecting a…. (PO)

The 38-year-old pop star is heard referring to the 46-year-old businessman as ‘my fiancé’ in a TikTok video shared by French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on Sunday,…

ELON MUSK DROPS A BOMBSHELL: ‘No Biological Males Allowed in Women’s Sports’—The TWEET That IGNITED a FIRESTORM! (PO)

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has once again stirred intense debate on social media after posting a controversial  tweet about gender and  sports. In his post, Musk stated: “No biological males allowed in women’s  sports….