The WNBA announced it could not substantiate any reports of racism during the season-opening game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky.
‘We have investigated the report of racist fan behavior in the vicinity of the court,’ the league said in a statement. ‘Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated it.
‘The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct.’
The investigation launched on May 18 stems from alleged hateful comments made inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Fever. While the specifics of the allegations weren’t made clear, a person with knowledge of the situation told IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, that hateful comments to Sky forward Angel Reese were the center of the investigation.
Reese said ‘there’s no place in this league’ for racism and discrimination and ‘obviously in the moment it’s hard to hear’ comments being made toward her during the game. The Fever, Sky and WNBA players’ union welcomed the investigation, and players like Caitlin Clark denounced the reported hateful comments.
‘We appreciate the quick action by the league and the Indiana Fever to take this matter seriously and to investigate,’ Sky president Adam Fox said in a statement. ‘This process demonstrates the league’s strong stance on stopping hate at all WNBA games and events, and we will continue to support those efforts.’
It was never specified when the alleged acts happened during the game, but things got heated during the contest between Clark and Reese.
In the third quarter, Clark intentionally fouled Reese on the arm and shoved her as the Chicago forward attempted a layup. Reese immediately got up and went toward Clark and appeared to say something to her before Indiana forward Aliyah Boston intervened. Clark walked away while the situation was quickly de-escalated by the players on the court and coaching staff.
Referees reviewed the play and upgraded the foul by Clark to a Flagrant 1, while Boston and Reese were given offsetting technical fouls. Reese was heavily booed by the Indiana crowd throughout the game, but the intensity picked up as she shot the free throws following the Flagrant 1 call.
With racism, discriminatory comments and bullying at high levels during the 2024 season, the WNBA launched the ‘No Space for Hate’ initiative for 2025 to combat hate and promote respect. It features a task force of league and team representatives that use ‘enhanced technological features’ to detect hateful comments online and puts extra emphasis on providing security measures in arenas during games.
‘We appreciate the swift and thorough process undertaken by the WNBA to investigate these allegations, which we substantiated,’ the Fever said in a statement. ‘At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, we are committed to providing the best possible basketball experience for players and fans where hate speech has absolutely no place.’
This story was updated with new information.
