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Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington was ejected from her side’s WNBA defeat by Indiana Fever for committing a hard foul on Sophie Cunningham, and subsequently posted “white privilege” on social media.<\/b><\/p>\n
Carrington caught Cunningham across the left side of the head with her arm as the Indiana Fever guard attempted a right-handed layup late in the opening quarter in Chicago.<\/p>\n
Cunningham hit the ground hard but immediately got up to confront Carrington before team-mates separated them.<\/p>\n
The foul was upgraded to a flagrant two foul after review and Carrington was automatically ejected from the match after scoring eight points in four minutes from the bench.<\/p>\n
Shortly after leaving the game, Carrington wrote “WHITE PRIVILIGE” on social media platform Threads, tagging Indiana Fever in the post.<\/p>\n
Asked about the post after her team won 90-86, Cunningham said: “I think the league is taking care of that.<\/p>\n
“This has nothing to do with race. Last year, I did the same thing and I got kicked out, and I deserved to be kicked out. There’s no reason even to play that card.”<\/p>\n
When told of the post, Sky coach Tyler Marsh added: “I have to get back to you on that because I’m just now hearing about that. So yeah, we’ll handle that.”<\/p>\n
Speaking about the foul, Cunningham added: “Clearly, I think it was unnecessary.<\/p>\n
“I’ve never really spoken to her and have no beef with her, but I guess she has some pent-up stuff. So, get your [stuff] off. That’s fine – I can take it.”<\/p>\n
Fever coach Stephanie White said: “It was a hard foul. I don’t think that DiJonai intentionally came out to get her across the neck like she did, but it did happen, and I thought it was the right call.”<\/p>\n
Referee Maj Forsberg said Cunningham was not penalised for her reaction because “we deemed her reaction to the severity of the contact to be acceptable”.<\/p>\n
Cunningham has become the subject of controversy in recent weeks for her comments on transgender athletes participating in women’s sport.<\/p>\n
It has led to people showing up inside and outside of Fever games, some to protest against Cunningham and others to express support.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Fever star Caitlin Clark will avoid a one-match suspension after a technical foul called on her during the third quarter was rescinded after the match.<\/p>\n
The technical foul – called when Clark ran into an official after making a pass having been bumped by a defender – would have been her eighth of the season, which triggers an automatic suspension.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n