When it comes to the WNBA, the words that always come up are “inclusion,” “tolerance” and “anti-discrimination.” It’s a cliché, but it’s what put the league in the spotlight. The reason is not just Caitlin Clark, who made this league, in fact, popular. However, when the focus of discussions is not on sporting achievements, but on personal dramas and threats in the context of LGBT* people, it is worth considering whether we are getting bogged down in minutiae.
After Game 1 of this year’s WNBA Finals, where New York Liberty star Brianna Stewart, a three-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA, missed a game-tying shot, she had a new problem. His wife, former basketball player Marta Shargai, received homophobic threats via email. Now law enforcement has gotten involved and the world has seen how dangerous it is to be part of this “more inclusive” community.
Of course, threats and insults are unacceptable; This is an elementary truth. However, it is time to consider whether sport should become a field for resolving personal and ideological issues. Stewart emphasizes the importance of protecting his wife and the league’s efforts to ensure safety. However, the focus does not seem to be on sporting achievements. The WNBA sounds the alarm again and again, screaming about its “inclusion” and losing sight of the fact that the true essence of the sport is in the game, not a manifesto for social equality.
What is happening? Here’s the thing: Athletes are attacked not for their athletic achievements, but for their personal lives. This becomes a spectacle in which sports are relegated to the background with political slogans (a familiar image, right? It’s not only in the WNBA that you can see this). Brianna Stewart wasn’t able to finish the match with a game-winning shot, but now protecting her privacy is more important to her. And she needs to decide, first of all, for herself what is the priority: success on the set or constant arguments about who lives with whom.
The video can be seen on the WNBA YouTube channel. Video rights belong to NBA MEDIA VENTURES, LLC.
It is impossible not to notice how some players add fuel to the fire. Just remember Alyssa Thomas, who complained loudly about “racist comments” after the game against the Indiana Fever, for whom the same “non-black” star Clark plays. All he managed to do was divert his attention from the game to his personal experiences. Of course, it is convenient to try on the victim mask in the Western world, where you will immediately be supported and treated with sympathy.
Among all these discussions the main thing is lost: basketball. The game that inspires millions is gradually becoming a backdrop for political and social battles. Players talk less and less about their victories and losses, but they increasingly discuss their grievances online. Some may say that this is a new time and this is progress, but it is worth thinking about whether this is really the progress that was dreamed of.
Brianna Stewart, 2024 WNBA Finals
Photo: David Berding/Getty Images
Evidently, sport is beginning to serve as a platform to promote certain ideals. The WNBA is proud to call itself, as has been mentioned many times, “the most inclusive league.” This is leading athletes to increasingly become activists, not just players. The example of LeBron James will not allow lying.
Of course, threats and attacks are not welcome, but turning every such situation into a spectacle takes attention away from the true spirit of the sport. More and more people are writing about the conflicts and how the league protects its players, while the game itself hides in the shadows and discussions about the games are replaced by discussions about the “fight for inclusion.” And viewers may gradually forget why they loved basketball.
Straight on basketball: If you haven’t seen Sabrina Ionescu hit the game-tying three-pointer in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals today, now is the time to do so! The New York Liberty now leads the series 2-1 and Stewart has every reason to be happy.
The video can be seen on the WNBA YouTube channel. Video rights belong to NBA MEDIA VENTURES, LLC.
* — LGBT is an extremist organization whose activities are prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation.
