The WNBA is investigating an incident Saturday at Dallas Airport in which teammates Britney Griner and Phoenix Mercury were allegedly harassed by social media “provocateurs.”
After Friday’s game against the Dallas Wings, Griner and his teammates were reportedly followed and harassed by a “social media figure and provocateur” who told them to leave Griner alone. CBS Sports reported that he continued to bombard him with questions. report.
Greiner’s teammate Briana Turner tweeted The team described the incident as “nervous and crouched in a corner” after being subjected to excessive harassment from “people who followed them with their cameras and verbally abused them”. Turner said the incident was unacceptable, stressing that the safety of team members is a top priority during the trip and that better things should be done.
In response, the WNBA said it was committed to player safety and called the allegations of harassment “inappropriate and disappointing.”
“The safety of Britney Greiner and all WNBA players is our number one priority. We ensured her safety during her travels, including accompanying her at all times.According to CBS Sports, we remain resolute in ensuring the highest standards of security for our players,” the WNBA said after the reported incident. announced in a statement.
The WNBA did not say who was allegedly at odds with Greiner, his team, and “Primetime With Alex Stein” host Alex Stein. announced The full Britney Griner video has premiered on Twitter and will be released on Sunday. opinion on youtube.
ever since @WNBA has written a press release about me…here is an excerpt from today’s exchange with Britney Griner….
Watch the full video on my YouTube channel.Sunday 10am Centralhttps://t.co/fe07WOHjct pic.twitter.com/FEnp8Vll6d
— Alex Stein #99 (@alexstein99) June 10, 2023
A clip released during the video showdown shows Stein walking with Greiner and teammates, alluding to his imprisonment in Russia and his subsequent release by the U.S. government, and asking if he still wants to boycott America. (Related: Britney Greiner decides to run for national anthem after being released from Russian prison)
In 2020, Greiner said the national anthem was unsuitable for sport because it did not represent black Americans at the time it was written, but after the Biden administration secured a deal with the Russian government, it was decided that the national anthem would not be a sport in Russia. Released from a nine-year prison sentence. Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer known as the “Merchant of Death”. Griner’s release comes despite authorities’ failure to secure the release of former US Marine Paul Whelan, who has been detained in Russia since 2018.
The Take Your Family Home Campaign, an advocacy group that works to repatriate Americans held hostage or detained abroad, called Mr Stein’s behavior at the airport “unacceptable”. .
“This accusation of a recently returned hostage is unacceptable and we urge social media companies to ban monetization of the resulting content. Our campaign is Britney. , her teammates and the Phoenix Mercury,” said group spokesperson Jonathan Franks. said with a release on Twitter.
Griner’s agent, Lindsey Kagawa-Choras, also condemned the clashes, saying the incident highlighted the need for increased security for expedition teams and charter flights.
“Britney Greiner and the WNBA players are leaders who inspire hope for a better, more inclusive and less divided America,” said Kagawa Chorus. “They are celebrated for the way their work causes positive change. In doing so, they also become targets of hatred, intimidation and violence. We cannot celebrate them and their leadership without protecting them.The time for charters and increased security measures for all players is over,” Corus said. tweeted.
Mercury too liberated It said it was investigating the incident that occurred at the airport.
“We are committed to supporting BG and defending all American hostages abroad,” the team said in a statement. “We will continue to support marginalized communities and continue to fight the hatred that targets us today. No one, regardless of status, should fear for their own safety.”
