“USA Today Columnist Posed a Fair Question, but WNBA Players Association’s Response Crosses the Line” | Sports

USA Today columnist Christine Brennan is well-respected in the journalism enterprise. She has been a champion of ladies’s sports activities and a pioneer amongst ladies in sports activities journalism. But greater than that, she has a stable repute for being a truthful reporter and columnist.

An argument, nonetheless, has cropped up with the WNBA Players Association placing out a scathing — and, I’ll add, unfair — assertion about Brennan.

It all began final week when WNBA star Caitlin Clark was poked in the eye by Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington throughout a playoff sport. Clark ended up with a black eye. I believed it was an unintentional poke as Carrington was going for the ball. But the incident gathered some steam on social media, and Brennan requested Carrington about it. The query was not out of line.

Brennan even posted the exchange on X.

Brennan requested Carrington, “When you went and kind of swatted at Caitlin, did you intend to hit her in the eye? And if so, could you just, or if not, either way, could you talk about what happened on that play?”

Carrington stated, “I don’t even know why I would intend to hit anybody in the eye. That doesn’t even make sense to me. But no I didn’t. I didn’t even know I hit her. I was trying to make a play on the ball and I guess I followed through and hit her. Obviously, it’s never intentional, that’s not even the type of player I am.”

Brennan adopted up by asking if Carrington and one in every of her teammates later laughed about Clark getting hit. Carrington stated no and, “I just told you that I didn’t even know I hit her.”

A good query requested, and a affordable response given. That may have and will have been it. But the controversy was simply heating up.

Sports Illustrated’s Grant Young wrote, “Brennan was criticized because she was accused of pushing the narrative that had been spreading online about Carrington intentionally poking Clark’s eye, which was seen as disrespectful to many members of the WNBA community.”

Carrington then got here below assault on social media by those that believed she hit Clark on goal. She was disgustingly accosted with racial slurs and threats.

The WNBA Players’ Association then put out its statement, criticizing Brennan by writing, “To unprofessional members of the media like Christine Brennan: You are not fooling anyone. That so-called interview in the name of journalism was a blatant attempt to bait a professional athlete into participating into a narrative that is false and designed to fuel racist, homophobic, and misogynistic vitriol on social media. You cannot hide behind your tenure. Instead of demonstrating the cornerstones of journalism ethics like integrity, objectivity, and a fundamental commitment to truth, you have chosen to be indecent and downright insincere.”

The assertion went on to say, “You have abused your privileges and do not deserve the credentials issued to you. And you certainly are not entitled to any interviews with the members of this union or any other athlete in sport … We call on USA Today Network to review its Principles of Ethical Conduct for Newsrooms and address what we believe is a violation of several core principles, including seeking and reporting the truth.”

It additionally stated, “USA Today Sports should explain why a reporter with clear bias and ulterior motives was assigned to cover the league. We also urge the league to review its policies and take measures to prevent such issues, protecting the integrity of the game and its players.”

The bias accusation is perhaps as a result of Brennan is writing a guide about Clark.

USA Today and government sports activities editor Roxanna Scott responded by backing Brennan with this statement: “Journalists ask questions and seek truth. We reject the notion that the interview perpetuated any narrative other than to get the player’s perspective directly. Christine Brennan is well regarded as an advocate for women and athletes, but first and foremost, she’s a journalist.”

Look, there’s no query that Clark is a lightning rod in the WNBA. Anything that occurs in her orbit — good or dangerous, on or off the court docket — is debated and, sure, a lot of it has racial undertones. Clark, who's white, has merely gone out and performed the sport, as have her teammates and opponents, each Black and white. Yet others, many coming from a dangerous place, deliver race (and racist ideas) into the dialog. I’m speaking principally about the vitriol seen on social media. So you may perceive why the WNBA gamers are particularly delicate relating to all this.

But its assertion concerning Brennan was out of line. I don’t all the time agree with Brennan’s tackle issues. She’s a columnist. I’m undecided anybody ought to agree together with her 100% of the time. But Brennan was doing her job, a job she has achieved properly and pretty for many years. In this case, she went on to Carrington, as is the journalistically accountable factor to do.

I additionally don’t assume there’s something to this complete Carrington-eye poke factor. But that doesn’t imply Brennan was irresponsible for asking about it.

The WNBA Players Association is attempting to guard its gamers. I get that. But on this case, they selected the incorrect goal and the incorrect message.

This piece initially appeared in The Poynter Report, our day by day e-newsletter for everybody who cares about the media. Subscribe to The Poynter Report right here.