By Dorothy J. Gentry
Sports Editor
Photos: Dorothy J. Gentry and Phoenix Mercury
WNBA star and Texas native Brittney Griner and her Phoenix Mercury teammates were apparently harassed at D/FW Airport today per reports.
Griner and her teammates were confronted by a Blaze Media YouTube personality in Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Saturday morning before flying to Indiana after the team played the Dallas Wings twice in Arlington this past week.,
Per reports, Alex Stein, a Dallas native who has gained some notoriety for confronting politicians, posted a photograph on Twitter saying, “I just met my favorite WNBA player. Video coming soon.” Stein then also posted a brief clip of him yelling at Griner as she walked through the airport.
Word of the incident at the airport – where the players were approached by a man in the airport who was threatening and filming it – first surfaced Saturday morning after Mercury player Brianna Turner tweeted out the following:
“Player safety while traveling should be at the forefront. People following with cameras saying wild remarks is never acceptable. Excessive harassment. Our team nervously huddled in a corner unsure how to move about. We demand better.”
The WNBA and the Players Association both released statements Saturday afternoon as they worked to gather details and ensure the team safely left Dallas.
“As we gather additional information about today’s incident at the Dallas Airport, it has come to our attention that this was orchestrated by a social media figure and provocateur. His actions were inappropriate and unfortunate.”
“The safety of Brittney Griner and all WNBA players is our top priority. Prior to the season, the WNBA worked together with the Phoenix Mercury and BG’s team to ensure her safety during her travel, which included charter flights for WNBA games and assigned security personnel with her at all times. We remain steadfastly committed to the highest standards of security for players.” WNBA
The WNB Players Association said:
“As we continued to hear from our members throughout the start of the season and particularly today with the situation involving the Phoenix Mercury at the Dallas airport, we are quite clear that the matter of charter travel is NOT a “competitive advantage” issue. We cannot help but wonder if the league and teams preclude more reasonable and flexible rules regarding charter travel in 2023 in order to seek leverage on this issue at the bargaining table.
What BG and all of her PHX teammates experienced today was a calculated confrontation that left them feeling very unsafe. Everyone who was paying attention knew this would happen. We could have and should have been more proactive.
Allowing teams to fly charter is ONLY about player health and safety, and until the league and teams take this issue seriously, situations like this will continue to occur.
Every commercial flight forced upon our players is a threat to their health and safety. We implore the league and the teams not to wait another day to change the rule regarding travel.”
The Phoenix Mercury team also released a statement:
“We are reviewing the incident that took place today at the Dalla Airport. The health and well-being of our players and staff are our top priority and we will always take every step within our power to protect player safety.
“We are committed to our support of BG and advocating for all American hostages abroad. We will continue our support of marginalized communities and fighting the kind of hate that targeted us today. No one, regardless of identify, should ever fear for their safety. We will be coordinating with the WNBA on next steps”
Stay tuned to Texas Metro News for more on this breaking story.
