Eleven Republican politicians have written to the WNBA asking the league to take action to protect Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, saying they are concerned that physical play directed at her may be racially motivated.
The letter, reported by Yahoo Sports, was led by congressman August Pfluger. It calls on WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to explain how the league handles physical aggression on the court, how it disciplines players for overly aggressive acts, and how it addresses online harassment of players. The lawmakers described Clark as "the face of your league" and credited her with bringing renewed attention to a league that has seen a surge in popularity.
The letter points specifically to an incident involving Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, who hit Clark in the throat during a game. Thomas was not called for a foul during the game. The WNBA later suspended her for one game. Following the incident, Thomas and members of her family received racist abuse and death threats.
The letter warned of potential legal consequences. "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 said. "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."
The Indiana Fever said Wednesday they had no knowledge of the letter before it became public. "Our organization nor Caitlin has had any interaction with anyone in this congressional group and we were unaware of their letter," the team said in a statement. "We have been clear in our public comments and in our ongoing dialogue with the League about the priority of player safety. Our players and our fans know where we stand on those issues, and we will continue to stick up for our team and a standard of excellence across the league."
Few people inside the league believe the fouls against Clark are racially motivated. Hard physical play against star players, particularly early in their careers, is common in both the WNBA and NBA. Black players in the league also face routine racial abuse online. Clark is white. Most WNBA players are Black.
Clark has spoken publicly about her frustration with the way coverage of these incidents has played out. "I turn the TV on Sunday and that game was on Wednesday and that's all people are still talking about," Clark said. "And I feel like that's just a real disservice to our league."
Clark has been a prominent figure in broader public debates about race and gender in American sports since she entered the league in 2024 following a high-profile college career at Iowa.
