WNBA commissioner says league is being used to fuel division over transgender athlete debate
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert condemned attempts to politicize the WNBA amid ongoing controversy about transgender participation, calling the criticism a distraction from the sport.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the league is being targeted by individuals seeking to create division over the transgender athlete issue. Speaking before the Indiana Fever's 91-85 loss to the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center, Engelbert described the controversy as a "political football" for people unfamiliar with the WNBA.
Demonstrators gathered outside the arena following comments by Fever forward Sophie Cunningham, who advocated barring transgender girls and women from women's sports in a recent ESPN profile. The league had earlier issued a statement criticizing attempts to turn the eligibility debate into a tool for marginalizing others.
"People are trying to use the league to sow divisiveness," Engelbert said while seated with Wings CEO Greg Bibb.
"We're being the center of political football for people who have never watched the WNBA, never have written about the WNBA or reported on the WNBA," she added.
The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement currently limits eligibility to players who are women, without specifying gender identity or sex assigned at birth. Earlier this month, former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White announced they would enter the WNBA draft, stating they identify as women.
Engelbert sent a memo to team presidents and general managers indicating the league will discuss the topic of transgender women in women's basketball. She acknowledged that criticism will persist, saying, "There's always going to be haters out there, and we denounce it," and noted that such scrutiny accompanies the league's growth as a mainstream sports and entertainment product.