Caitlin Clark speaks out on WNBA's probe into alleged 'hateful comments' toward Angel Reese
Caitlin Clark addressed the WNBA's investigation into alleged "hateful comments" toward Angel Reese during a shootaround on Monday as the Indiana Fever prepare for the Atlanta Dream.
The WNBA launched its investigation on Sunday as the league condemned "racism, hate and discrimination in all forms." There were no specifics detailed about the alleged incident.
"There's no place for that in our game," Clark told reporters, via the Indy Star. "There's no place for that in society. Certainly we want every person that comes into our arena, whether player, whether fan, to have a great experience.
"I appreciate the league doing that. The Fever organization has been at the forefront of that since, really, day one, what they're doing. Hopefully the investigation — we'll leave that up to them to find anything and take the proper action if so."
Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines issued a statement on the matter.
"We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct during yesterday's game and we are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation," Raines said. "We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players."
The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) also released a statement, calling "such behavior unacceptable."
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday's game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA's current investigation into this matter," the union said. "Such behavior is unacceptable for our sport.
"Under the WNBA's 'No Space for Hate' policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
The WNBA launched its "No Space for Hate" campaign before the 2025 season tipped off. The campaign will include the use of AI social media monitoring tools that will help the league enforce a revised code of conduct.
"As part of the comprehensive plan, the WNBA is rolling out an AI-powered technology solution to monitor social media activity, in partnership with players and teams, to help protect the community from online hate speech and harassment," it said.
A revised WNBA fan code of conduct includes regulations for fans on social media, and threats of sanctioning those fans from official content if they are violated. The new policy lists racist, homophobic, sexist, sexual, threatening or libelous content as "subject to blocking or deletion."
"Repeat violations of these guidelines may result in the violator no longer being able to follow our news, comment on our posts or send us messages," the policy reads. "Additionally, any direct threats to players, referees or other league and team personnel may be referred to law enforcement and may result in the violator being banned from all WNBA arenas and events."
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