Sophie Cunningham is at the center of controversy once again, this time after WNBA‘s decision not to suspend her for her incident with Jacy Sheldon, as the Indiana Fever took on the Connecticut Sun on June 17.
Tensions flared during the Fever’s 88-71 win thanks to a late altercation drawing scrutiny towards the 28-year-old and the referees, as things turned violent at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Cunningham, already known for her aggressive playing style, was ejected following a flagrant two foul on Connecticut’s Sheldon during a fast break late in the fourth quarter in what appeared to be retribution for an earlier incident against Caitlin Clark.
Sheldon, charging to the basket, was met by the guard who appeared to deliberately impede her by pulling her to the floor; an unnecessary act given the Fever’s secure lead, and she was tossed out as a result.
The moment came after Clark was inadvertently struck in the eye by Sheldon, to which Marina Mabrey retaliated by shoving the 23-year-old to the ground as questions were raised about if the WNBA Rookie of the Year is protected enough.
No suspension for either Cunningham or Mabrey: Fans not happy
Despite the severity of both incidents, neither Cunningham nor Mabrey will face suspension as on Wednesday, ESPN’s Alexa Philippou confirmed that both players were issued fines, with no further disciplinary action.
That WNBA decision was met with swift and vocal criticism across social media platforms, especially under Philippou’s post, with fans concerned over precedent being set.
One user posted to X.com, formerly Twitter, “Nasty precedent being set. For the rest of the season, I really don’t want to see anyone call for any other player to be suspended for minor dust ups if this is the move the league is making.”
A second said, “Sophie not getting suspended is very sus.”
A third wrote, “Sophie should be suspended for hair pulling.”
Whilst a fourth concluded the WNBA’s choice was “malpractice.”
The controversy stems not only from the physicality of Cunningham‘s foul but also from what many perceive as a disregard for sportsmanship due to the Fever comfortably leading in the game’s closing moments.
But following being expelled, the guard appeared to respond to the criticism in a cryptic manner as she posted an image of herself wearing her Indiana Fever jersey, arms extended in an open gesture, to her Instagram story.
The image was uploaded without a caption, leaving fans to interpret it as defiance or mockery as she continues to stand by her traits of toughness and perimeter defense, whilst also averaging 6.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game off the bench.
As the season continues, league officials may face increasing pressure to revisit their policies on player conduct, particularly in high-profile matchups where tensions run high.
For now, fans and observers remain loud in their reaction to what many are calling a missed opportunity to enforce accountability.
Read the full article here
