Seattle Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton has been fined by the WNBA and suspended for her team’s next five home games following an incident Tuesday night involving a pair of Sophie Cunningham fans, according to Fox 13’s Lauren Helmbrecht and USA Today’s Mitchell Northam.
The incident reportedly occurred when the two young women, wearing shirts for a brand advocating against the inclusion of transgender women in women’s sports, held up signs reading “We love you Sophie” and “Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls” while sitting courtside for the Fever-Storm game. Their appearance came a week after Cunningham made comments against transgender inclusion.
After the game, the pair recounted to a content producer that a woman, identified as Keaton, confronted them and told them they were “effing insane.”
The Storm released a statement from majority owner Ginny Gilder on Tuesday morning apologizing for the incident, via Front Office Sports:
“We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night’s game,” Storm Majority Owner Ginny Gilder told Front Office Sports in a statement. “We apologize that this happened. Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect.”
“We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night’s game,” Storm Majority Owner Ginny Gilder told Front Office Sports in a statement. “We apologize that this happened. Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect.”
Cunningham tweeted her support for the fans the night the suspension was reported and promised them gifts, while calling Keaton’s actions “truly embarrassing.”
Her original comments last week stirred up predictable controversy, and she doubled down soon after while saying she “never once said” she hates trans people.
A pregame rally saw a few dozen people show up outside Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena to support Cunningham before the game, though she was greeted with boos from a number of Storm fans inside. Storm center Stefanie Dolson also entered the arena wearing a shirt with a pointed statement: “Trans rights are human rights.”
“Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers. Our only goal as a team, whether at home or away, is to win basketball games and make Fever fans for life, and we are united on that mission.”
“Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers. Our only goal as a team, whether at home or away, is to win basketball games and make Fever fans for life, and we are united on that mission.”
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