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After toxic fan behavior appeared to peak earlier this week, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark spoke out against the racism and hate that WNBA players have been facing this season. The rookie addressed the issue during her end-of-season press conference on Friday.
“Nobody in our league should have to endure any form of racism, hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments, and threats,” Clark stated. “Those individuals are not true fans, they are trolls, and it’s a disservice to the people in our league.”
I asked #IndianaFever star Caitlin Clark about the racism and other hate #WNBA players have endured this season:
“Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism, hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments and threats. Those aren’t fans. Those are trolls. …”
– James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) September 27, 2024
Online hate has been a persistent issue for the WNBA this season, with an uptick in derogatory comments targeting some of the league’s Black players due to an influx of new fans. Clark’s rise to prominence has also attracted more attention to the league, but unfortunately, it has also brought about more negativity from trolls claiming to support Clark and the Fever.
Clark has been vocal about rejecting this association: “People should not be using my name to push those agendas,” she stated in June.
Throughout the year, both Clark’s teammates and opponents have been subjected to racist and hateful remarks, online and offline. The situation escalated during the WNBA playoffs this week as the Connecticut Sun swept the Indiana Fever, advancing to the semifinals. Sun guard DiJonai Carrington faced significant abuse, including death threats, after accidentally injuring Clark in Game 1.
In response to the escalating hate, Connecticut star Alyssa Thomas spoke out after Game 2, highlighting the increased online toxicity this year compared to previous seasons.
“I’ve never experienced the level of vitriol I’ve seen on social media, and it has no place,” Thomas expressed in a postgame conference.
The WNBA issued a statement on Wednesday condemning racism and hate directed at players.
“While we welcome a growing fan base, the WNBA will not tolerate racist, derogatory, or threatening comments towards players, teams, and anyone associated with the league,” the statement emphasized.
On Friday, Clark emphasized her focus on promoting positive attention within 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 stated. “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.”
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