WNBA fans are irate over what they believe is a weak retroactive punishment after Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was hit in the throat with a closed fist by a Phoenix Mercury rival.
In a game on Tuesday, Clark was laying on the ground after diving for a loose ball when Mercury star Alyssa Thomas also lunged to try and gain possession.
As caught on replay, Thomas ended up closing her fist and hit Clark directly in the throat. At the time, officials missed the call due to the speedy nature of the play.
However, one day later, the WNBA announced that Thomas was retroactively assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and would be suspended for her next game.
‘Per WNBA rule, the League Office has the option, following its review of any game, to reclassify a Flagrant foul or to classify as Flagrant any foul not called as such during a game and may impose a fine and/or suspension,’ read the league’s statement.
However, some fans believe this wasn’t enough to punish Thomas for her ‘reckless’ play on the court.
Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas was retroactively suspended for hitting Caitlin Clark
Thomas dove to the ground for a loose ball and hit Clark in the neck with a closed fist
Clark’s coach, Stephanie White said it was ‘egregious’ and ‘disrespectful’ a foul wasn’t called
‘One of your players nearly takes out the biggest star in your league, and your response is a one-game suspension? Wow. Imagine if the roles were reversed,’ wrote one user on X.
Another person tweeted a screen shot of the moment where Thomas hit Clark and captioned it, ‘This is not a good image for the WNBA or any sports event.’
‘Wow ! Thats it for an assult? [sic] These are grown ass women that know better. If I throat punch someone at work I would be FIRED immediately !’ read another post.
Another post read, ‘Nevermind the fact that Indy would have won the game had this been called correctly. Not the mention the no-call reckless close out. What is wrong with yall?’
After the game, Clark’s coach – Stephanie White – called the officiating ‘absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful’ for missing the call.
‘They didn’t see it,’ White told reporters. ‘The fist in the throat is crazy. It’s crazy. It’s dangerous.’
Clark ended up leaving the game with a separate injury to her back as the Fever fell to the Mercury 111-109.
