Republican Lawmakers Pressure WNBA Over Treatment of Caitlin Clark, Threaten Civil Rights Investigation

A group of 11 House Republicans is demanding the Women’s National Basketball Association take action to protect Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark — and warning the league that continued inaction could invite federal scrutiny under civil rights law.Led by Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, the lawmakers sent a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert calling for “accountability” over what they described as “multiple attacks” against Ms. Clark, including being hip-checked, poked in the eye, and struck in the throat during games. The letter was co-signed by Representatives Erin Houchin, Marlin Stutzman, Victoria Spartz, Diana Harshbarger, Sheri Biggs, Tim Burchett, Zach Nunn, Mark Alford, Pete Sessions, and John Rose.“Caitlin Clark is transforming women’s sports,” Mr. Pfluger wrote in the letter. “She has inspired a new generation of young girls to participate in athletics and has become one of the most influential figures in the history of women’s basketball. She is also the face of your league.”“As Commissioner, you have an obligation to ensure that every player competes in a safe and professional environment, both on and off the court, free from violence, discrimination, or retaliation,” the letter stated. The WNBA was given until July 24 to respond.The letter points to a June 24 game between the Fever and the Phoenix Mercury, during which Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas made contact with her fist against Ms. Clark’s throat. No foul was called during play, but after a league review the following day, Ms. Thomas was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and suspended for one game. The WNBA did not publicly comment in support of Ms. Clark following the incident, though Ms. Engelbert did release a statement defending Ms. Thomas from online harassment she received in its wake.The lawmakers warned that if discrimination or retaliation is found to be occurring, they would support an investigation by the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Mr. Pfluger also took to social media, where he issued the same threat. “I’m putting the league on notice that if it keeps letting the violent targeting slide, they could find themselves facing a DOJ and EEOC crackdown for violating federal civil rights law,” he wrote on X.As of publication, neither Ms. Engelbert nor the WNBA had publicly responded to the letter. “Commissioner Engelbert has had every chance to protect Caitlin Clark and hold those responsible accountable, and instead we’ve gotten crickets,” Mr. Pfluger said in a statement.The Indiana Fever distanced itself from the letter, stating the organization had no prior knowledge of it. “[Neither] our organization nor Caitlin has had any interaction with anyone in this congressional group, and we were unaware of their letter,” the team said in a statement. “We will continue to stick up for our team and a standard of excellence across the league.”The letter drew criticism from some commentators. CNN’s Abby Phillip suggested the Republican focus on Ms. Clark is racially motivated. “The attention that she’s getting from Republicans and from government seems to be exclusively because she is White,” she said, per The Spun.Former ESPN host Cari Champion responded simply: “That’s the only reason.”Sports commentator Skip Bayless also pushed back, warning that the letter could backfire. “All the letters in the world from all the Republican lawmakers are not going to fix this situation for her,” Mr. Bayless said on his official X account. “They’re only going to make it harder and harder.”Ms. Clark herself has stayed above the fray. “Harassment, hate, none of that is OK,” she said prior to a recent game, via ESPN. “I don’t want anyone to experience that.”With the WNBA’s deadline for response approaching, Ms. Engelbert’s silence can be expected to draw increasing scrutiny of the league and player safety standards across women’s professional basketball.

Republican Lawmakers Pressure WNBA Over Treatment of Caitlin Clark, Threaten Civil Rights Investigation

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