ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 26: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever reacts against the Atlanta Dream on August 26, 2024 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley criticized the WNBA Wednesday, saying former University of Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark has been treated “unfairly” since joining the league in 2024.
The statement comes as part of a news release Wednesday following an incident that occurred during a WNBA game between the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever on June 24, where Mercury forward Alyssa Thomasmade contact with Clark’s throatwhile the two were diving for a loose ball. Thomas also stepped over Clark after the play.
The WNBA announced the following day that the league had suspended Thomas for one game due to a “non-basketball play” and “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area.” Although the WNBA suspended Thomas, the incident garnered controversy from fans, as no foul was called during the game immediately following the physical contact.
In a news release, Grassley said he was “glad” the WNBA “corrected the matter” eventually, but says Clark, a West Des Moines native, has suffered from physical altercations during games on numerous occasions, and the league should do a better job of protecting one of their biggest stars.
“Officials are human, but we’ve seen time after time where Caitlin has suffered physically beyond what you expect in competitive professional sports, with little accountability from the people that run the WNBA or from the referees,” Grassley said. “So, I hope, for Caitlin and the growth of women’s basketball, things improve quickly in the WNBA. Caitlin is a generational talent. Her hard work and dedication should be rewarded, not penalized.”
The WNBA did not respond to a request for comment.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 26: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever reacts against the Atlanta Dream on August 26, 2024 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
