Several U.S. lawmakers are worried for Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and her safety.
Three weeks ago, U.S. Rep. August Pfluger of Texas and 10 other Republican lawmakers sent a letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. They were demanding accountability for "multiple attacks" on Clark.
"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," the letter stated. "If discrimination or retaliation is occurring and creating a hostile work environment, we support any appropriate investigation by the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If true, such conduct could constitute violations of federal civil rights laws."
Engelbert said ensuring her players' health and safety for "every player in our league" is her top priority.
Pfluger, a U.S. representative for Texas' 11th congressional district, didn't appreciate that response from the league.
"The WNBA’s response falls short of what we asked for, unsurprisingly," Pfluger told OutKick. "We didn’t request a description of the league’s general officiating and disciplinary procedures, we asked how those procedures have actually been applied in the specific incidents we raised involving Caitlin Clark, and the league chose not to answer that."
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Caitlin Clark isn't too worried.
Leading up to this year's WNBA All-Star Game, Clark spoke to ESPN's Malika Andrews about her incident with Alyssa Thomas. She downplayed any narratives about her being targeted by the league.
"It seems like there's always a moment like that in every season that I've played so far," Clark said. "I think, for myself, I just try to navigate it the best I can. It gets exhausting, it gets frustrating because… That's a perfect example of, yeah, it was a hard foul. It should have been dealt with in the moment. They should have decided what it was then and reviewed it, great. We move on. You see it happen in the NBA all the time. It's not anything more than that. It's basketball."
Clark also said she's tired of the narratives surrounding her online.
"When I walk out of the locker room, I shouldn't be fearful of what the conversation is going to be. It's emotionally exhausting, it's draining."
Pfluger's comments this week probably won't make life easier for Clark, who led the Fever to a 105-95 win over the Seattle Storm on Tuesday night.
