GOP Lawmakers Demand WNBA Protect Caitlin Clark
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Rep. August Pfluger and 10 other Republican lawmakers sent a letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Wednesday demanding the league take accountability for "multiple attacks" against Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, including hip-checking, eye-poking, and a recent strike to the throat.
- The lawmakers raised concern that attacks against Clark may be "racially motivated" and said they would support an investigation by the Department of Justice, Department of Labor, or Equal Employment Opportunity Commission if discrimination or retaliation is occurring, which they said could violate federal civil rights laws.
- The group requested Engelbert and the WNBA respond by July 24 with answers about the league's review process for physical hostility, how it holds players accountable for overly aggressive acts, and steps taken to protect players from online harassment.
- The Indiana Fever said after their shootaround in Los Angeles they were unaware of the letter and had no interaction with the congressional group, but emphasized they have pushed the league on player safety in ongoing dialogue.
- On June 24, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas struck Clark in the throat during a game in Indianapolis; the WNBA retroactively assessed Thomas a flagrant foul 2 and a one-game suspension after review.
- Thomas reported receiving threats and online harassment following the incident, and Clark said July 3 that "none of that is OK" and harassment should never question anyone's character.
Why it matters: Eleven members of Congress have now formally demanded a federal civil rights inquiry into how WNBA players are treated on and off the court, with a July 24 deadline for the league's response. The move elevates a long-running debate about officiating consistency in women's basketball into a potential DOJ or EEOC matter, putting the league's player-safety protocols and disciplinary procedures under congressional scrutiny.
