WNBA Commissioner, Union Leaders Address Player Safety From Online Harassment

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert convened a virtual meeting with the players’ union executive committee and its Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee on Tuesday night to explore measures for shielding players from online harassment. The discussion was initiated at the union’s request amid a recent wave of abusive messages directed at league athletes across social media platforms.

Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray publicly shared a threatening message containing racial slurs that she received online, leading to the identification and termination of the sender from his position at Hilton Grand Vacations. The incident exemplified the serious nature of harassment plaguing WNBA players in recent weeks.

The league stated that the dialogue “underscored the importance of addressing issues early through proactive communication and strengthening the league-union relationship.” Officials pledged to bolster security infrastructure and collaborate with external organizations aligned with league values to combat the problem.

Existing protocols include a monitoring service allowing players to filter hateful comments and a security office that investigates cases when harassment becomes severe. During the meeting, both sides explored additional remedies such as holding technology companies accountable and establishing more efficient communication channels between the WNBA and law enforcement.

WNBPA Secretary Elizabeth Williams emphasized that consistency in league communication remained crucial. “Communication from Cathy and the league side being a little more consistent, so we feel more comfortable,” Williams told reporters Wednesday before Chicago’s matchup with New York.