The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) has voiced significant disappointment after women's professional sports leagues were excluded from a joint statement by major men's sports leagues and their unions aimed at combating harassment of athletes by bettors. The statement, issued Tuesday, was spearheaded by the NFL and included the NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS, calling for stricter punishments for individuals who harass athletes, coaches, and their families.
Terri Carmichael Jackson, executive director of the WNBPA, stated that the exclusion was "deeply disappointing," particularly given recent public incidents of harassment experienced by WNBA players. "Given the very public and troubling incidents of betting-related harassment experienced by our members over the past several seasons, the NBA determined that WNBA players did not warrant inclusion in a joint position statement intended to address this very issue," Jackson said in a statement. She emphasized that the issue of harassment extends beyond men's sports.
The National Women's Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) also expressed its support for initiatives protecting athletes from harassment, regardless of gender. NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke noted that the union learned of the men's leagues' initiative through media inquiries. "The NWSLPA supports efforts to protect professional athletes in both men’s and women’s sports from harassment and violent threats of all kinds for all reasons, including those of the kind driven by sports betting," Burke stated.
The WNBA has seen a rise in online harassment directed at its players, often fueled by disgruntled bettors. Players like Courtney Williams have publicly addressed receiving abusive messages on social media following games. Jonquel Jones also recently called for the league to implement measures to protect players from such online attacks.
The joint letter proposed a lifetime ban from legal sportsbooks for individuals found to be harassing or threatening athletes, coaches, officials, team personnel, and their families. It also called for improved reporting mechanisms and greater accountability from sportsbook operators. The NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS had not immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the WNBPA's statement.