The WNBA is approaching the start of a new season with a focus on preventing hate and violence, in-person and online. WNBA athletes have called on the organization to do more to protect them from online and in-person abuse. The women say that alongside the increased popularity of the sport has come an increase in racist and sexist abuse that makes them more vulnerable.
In response, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert created a task force with four main goals in mind.
Engelbert told RNZ, “[It] will include, one, monitoring of social media and other digital platforms using an advanced technology solution to detect and monitor comments and threats. Two, strengthening our conduct standards across all WNBA platforms, including in the arena. Three, there will be added security measures put in place at the league and team levels. And four, there'll be continued services of dedicated mental health clinicians."
The task force will be made up of WNBA team representatives and outside sources. Engelbert described wanting to hit the situation head-on and reduce the mental drain that dealing with hate puts on players, coaches and staff.
Already hard at work, the task force provided players at Rookie Orientation with an app that filters hateful and negative social media comments. 10 WAVY News reported that “it was important to keep hateful comments off their pages so that young fans don’t have to see them.”
This commitment to player safety comes after a man was arrested this year in Indianapolis for stalking Fever star Caitlin Clark. He allegedly sent her threatening and violent messages online. Paige Bueckers, who until recently played for the University of Connecticut, was also the victim of stalking. Bueckers was drafted to the Dallas Wings this month.
"We want to ensure that the WNBA remains a space where everyone, players, fans and corporate partners feel safe, valued, and empowered," said Engelbert.
