Caitlin Clark is speaking out against the Indiana Fever fans who reportedly hurled racist slurs at Angel Reese during the team’s win over the Chicago Sky last weekend.
The incident, which reportedly took place during the third quarter of the Fever’s 93-58 win over the Sky, led the WNBA to launch an investigation into the fans allegedly responsible as players and officials from around the league have spoken out.
Clark, 23, added her name to the list after Monday’s team practice when a reporter asked her about the WNBA investigation.
“There’s no place for that in our game, there’s no place for that in society,” Clark said, according to ESPN. “Certainly, we want every person who comes into our arena — whether player or fan — to have a great experience. I appreciate the league doing that [investigation]. I appreciate that the Fever organization has been at the forefront of that.”
According to several reports, including ESPN and The Indianapolis Star, fans were heard yelling the hateful comments towards Reese, 23, after a chippy incident during the third quarter when Clark committed a hard foul against the Sky forward under the basket in an apparent attempt to stop her from getting a shot attempt. Reese fell after Clark’s left arm appeared to push her in the back while her other arm slapped Reese’s shooting arm, leading to a scuffle between the players and ensuing technical fouls.
Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Aliyah Boston (right) breaks up a skirmish between Caitlin Clark (left) and Angel Reese (center)
After the game, both players brushed off the skirmish — Clark defended her action as a “basketball play” while Reese said the refs “got it right” and called on everyone to “move on” from the situation.
But following reports that fans continued to heckle Reese with racist comments after the play, the WNBA soon announced it would investigate the fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
“The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society,” the league said in a statement. “We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter.”
Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Caitlin Clark (left) and Angel Reese (right)
Saturday’s dustup and the ensuing investigation surrounding fans’ alleged racist comments is the latest chapter in the rivalry between Reese and Clark, whose history with each other dates back to testy college matchups in the NCAA Tournament. At times, the rivalry between the players has become the biggest topic of discussion in sports and eclipsed the athletic world, raising issues of race and gender equality.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Both Clark and Reese have clarified over the years that their intense rivalry ends at the out of bounds line, with the Chicago Sky forward explaining last year that she and Clark “don’t hate each other” in real life.
“I don’t think people realize it’s not personal,” Reese said last season. “Once we get out between those lines… if I see you walking down the street, it’s like, ‘Hey, girl, what’s up? Let’s hang out.’ I think people just take it like we hate each other.”
Reese added: “Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. I want everybody to understand that. It’s just a super-competitive game.”
The Fever and the Sky will face off again on June 7 in Chicago.
Read the original article on People
