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Caitlin Clark was infamously left off the final US women’s Olympic basketball team in Paris in 2024.
Two years later, the controversy surrounding the WNBA’s handling of Clark has reached many corners of the sports world and caught the attention of Olympians from several countries.
After weeks of controversy, ignited by a punch to Clark’s neck by another player and then played Clark screaming in the face of the referees Wednesday night, eight Olympians from three countries have come on Pakinomist Digital to speak out against the WNBA in defense of Clark.
Nancy Hogshead, triple Olympic gold medalist for the USA
Olympic swimmer Nancy Hogshead Makar is photographed in Jacksonville, Fla., on Aug. 28, 2022. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)
“The WNBA needs the courage to act decisively for athlete safety. Caitlin Clark is a generational superstar, but she deserves the same protections as any player,” Hogshead told Pakinomist Digital.
“The WNBA cannot continue to allow any dangerous behavior to go unchecked. A fist pressed against a player’s throat is never ‘just part of the game.’ It is wildly unacceptable. WNBA: Enforce your rules, hold offenders accountable, and put athlete safety first.”
Anthony Watson, the first Olympian to represent Jamaica in skeleton
Jamaica’s Anthony Watson looks on after finishing the men’s skeleton heat 3 during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics at the Olympic Sliding Center on February 16, 2018 in Pyeongchang. (Mohd Rasfan/AFP)
“As an Olympian, I’ve always believed that sport has never been about what you look like or where you come from. It’s always been about finding the answer to the one pressing question: can the champion stay at the top or can the next challenger rise up and take their place? The athletes who prepare the hardest, perform when the pressure is the hardest and deliver in the biggest moments like Y Clarket did instead of them. celebrates his elite competition, too much of the conversation has shifted to who she is instead of what she’s accomplished,” Watson told Pakinomist Digital.
“She has faced repeated foul play and relentless criticism that if the roles were reversed, people would now use race as an excuse, and the league always seems to react instead of lead. The reality is that Caitlin Clark brought unprecedented attention back to the WNBA.
“The league had passionate fans before she arrived, but her influence broadened the audience in a way that’s hard to ignore. That’s what transcendent athletes do for their generation, they elevate the sport. Every era has someone willing to push the bar higher, and that’s how sports grow.
“Her legacy is already taking shape. The challenge now is not to prove she belongs because she’s already shown it. It’s continuing to perform at an elite level while the league does its part to protect its players and let the competition, not the controversy, be the main story.
Donna de Varona, double Olympic gold medalist for the USA
President Ronald Reagan with Donna De Varona (blue dress) while speaking at the Women’s Sports Foundation. (Getty Images)
“For those of us pioneers who had no college or professional sports opportunities and have worked tirelessly to uplift all women in sports, the abusive behavior directed at Caitlin Clark is disrespectful and short-sighted. A talented performer in any sport lifts everyone up. Players who don’t understand this undermine the WNBA,” de Varona told Pakinomist Digital.
Katie Uhlaender, American skeleton athlete, five-time Olympian
Katie Uhlaender returns to the Games with her signature fiery fuschia locks.
“Holy cow! That’s what I thought when I saw a fist on Caitlin’s neck. Then to hear Sophie [Cunningham] say she feels they are targeting her? What is being done about this?” Uhlaender told Pakinomist Digital.
“Safety is not a political issue. All players deserve fair play, safety, and sports are at their best when the focus is on the game, not on whether the referees’ integrity is up to standard. If athletes are questioning officials, what is the WNBA doing to address that? I want to see rules integrity upheld consistently, so should the WNBA.”
Steffen Gebhardt, Olympic and world champion for Germany in modern pentathlon
Steffen Gebhardt from Germany rides Vito during modern pentathlon at the Summer Olympic Games in London. (Sampics/Corbis via Getty Images)
“The goal of any functional sports league should be to promote the sport and the athletes in the sport. The goal of all the athletes in the league should be to showcase their athleticism to the fans. When the public focus of the league becomes peripheral drama that has nothing to do with the fundamental sport, the league will always suffer,” Gebhardt told Pakinomist Digital.
Eli Bremer, American modern pentathlon at Beijing 2008
Eli Bremer of the United States celebrates in the Men’s Modern Pentathlon Epee One Touch held at the Fencing Hall during Day 13 of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 21, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)
“The WNBA never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. After spending years falling over themselves to ostensibly try to build a social movement rather than an actual sports league, they are now missing a once-in-a-generation opportunity with an athlete like Caitlin Clark,” Bremer told Pakinomist Digital.
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“If the WNBA wants to become a truly relevant sports league that offers women a high-paying professional opportunity, they need to cut out the petty drama and focus on building a world-class sports business that supports their star athletes.”
Inga Thompson, American female cyclist, three-time Olympian
“I noticed that after the letter was sent by members of Congress, the news media called the 11th best player vote by teammates, criticism of the umpires. The last game changed from gutter/bully ball to pro ball. I hope Caitlin will finally be recognized as a passionate athlete and a generational player. Celebrate her and her amazing teammates, instead of all this, everyone should celebrate. until its death,” Thompson told Pakinomist Digital.
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Carrie Englert Zimmerman, American female gymnast in Montreal 1976
“The WNBA has not been aggressive enough to protect Caitlin Clark. Every player in the league deserves the same guarantees when they step on the court. The WNBA’s responsibility is to enforce its rules consistently and make it clear that talent should be challenged by great basketball, not uncontrolled cheap shots,” Zimmerman told Pakinomist Digital.
