WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark recently faced a disturbing incident of sexism during her press conference with the Indiana Fever. Indianapolis Star reporter Gregg Doyel started off by mimicking the heart gesture that Clark makes during basketball games to show love to her family and friends in the crowd. Clark, taken aback, asked him if he liked it, to which Doyel responded, “I like that you’re here.” Clark shared that she does the gesture for her family after every game, and Doyel added, “OK, well, start doing it to me, and we’ll get along just fine.” This uncomfortable response from the reporter did not affect Clark, but it certainly caught our attention as we anticipated such incidents in her fast rise in the sports world. Doyel later apologized in a column titled “Caitlin Clark, I’m so sorry. On Wednesday I was part of the problem,” acknowledging that he messed up during the press conference. He admitted to having awkward conversations before, mostly with male athletes and coaches, which raises the question of his coverage of women’s sports before Clark’s arrival in Indianapolis. It was a female colleague who made him realize his mistake, and he expressed remorse for his ignorance. While it is up to Clark to forgive him, Doyel’s actions shed light on the continuous struggle of female athletes facing sexism from male journalists, often when least expected.
Twitter is tearing into him for his actions and response, with a lot of the criticism coming from other men. One user stated, “Gregg, with all due respect, your apology continues to miss a crucial point. ‘That’s just the way I am’ is not a valid excuse for anyone above the age of 5.” Another user chimed in, saying, “There’s nothing more insincere than making us click on your column just to boost your clicks.” And, of course, there’s always that person who says what everyone is thinking, “Just be quiet for a couple of minutes, guy.” Right now, Doyel isn’t winning over many fans, but Clark is bound to leave a lasting impression both on and off the basketball court – that’s where the spotlight will truly shine.
Before you go, check out these incredible photos of Team USA Olympians throughout the years.
