Congressional Republicans demand WNBA accountability over violence toward Caitlin Clark

A group of 11 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Commissioner Cathy Engelbert demanding the league address repeated acts of “unnecessary physical hostility and violence” directed at Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, a Catholic.

The July 7 letter, led by Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, cites incidents in which Clark was hip-checked, poked in one of her eyes, and hit in the throat during games. During a heavily scrutinized June 24 game, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas appeared to strike Clark in the throat with her fist as she fell during a struggle for the ball. Officials did not call a foul during the game, but the WNBA later assessed Thomas a flagrant foul 2 and suspended her for one game. 

Days after Thomas’ suspension, Clark responded to the incident by calling the contact a “flagrant foul” and urging the league to “do better protecting” players. At the same time, she acknowledged that refereeing is “one of the hardest jobs in the world” because “all you do is get yelled at all the time.”

“The harassment and the hate — none of that is okay,” she said, later adding, “I’m 24 years old trying to navigate a lot, and I think at times, I’ve been in this world for four years now, and I would never change any of it, but there are times that it is hard.”

Lawmakers argued that such contact went beyond routine physicality and accused the league and its officials of repeatedly failing to protect Clark or adequately hold other players accountable. 

“As Commissioner, you have an obligation to ensure that every player competes in a safe and professional environment, both on and off the court, free from violence, discrimination, or retaliation,” they wrote in the letter.

The lawmakers also expressed concern about reports suggesting that some of the treatment directed at Clark could be racially motivated. 

The letter warned that failure to act could draw scrutiny from federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, Department of Labor, or Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, for possible violations of federal civil rights laws. 

The lawmakers asked the league to explain by July 24 its processes for reviewing on-court physical incidents, mechanisms for holding players accountable, and protections of players from threats and online harassment. 

They also pointed to Clark’s role in drawing record viewership and attracting new fans to women’s basketball. Clark attended St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School and Dowling Catholic High School while growing up in West Des Moines, Iowa. She has said Dowling’s practice of beginning each school day with prayer played a crucial role in her personal development.

“Caitlin Clark is transforming women’s sports,” the letter said. “She has inspired a new generation of young girls to participate in athletics and has become one of the most influential figures in the history of women’s basketball. She is also the face of your league.”

The letter was cosigned by Reps. Erin Houchin, R-Ind.; Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind.; Victoria Spartz, R-Ind.; Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn.; Sheri Biggs, R-S.C.; Tim Burchett, R-Tenn.; Zach Nunn, R-Iowa; Mark Alford, R-Mo.; Pete Sessions, R-Texas; and John Rose, R-Tenn.

The Indiana Fever said in a July 8 statement that neither the team nor Clark had participated in the congressional effort and that they learned about the letter only after it became public.