The fan who threw a green sex toy onto the court during a WNBA game between the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream on Tuesday has been arrested, according to a league spokesperson. That person has not been identified publicly.
“The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league. Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans,” the spokesperson said. “In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities.”
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Tuesday’s incident occurred during the fourth quarter of the game in Atlanta, with less than a minute left on the clock. Television cameras briefly zoomed in on the sex toy before cutting away to another shot.
Some WNBA players have laughed about the incident while also acknowledging it as a potential safety hazard.
“I mean, first of all, it was super dangerous. And then when we found out what it was, I guess we just started laughing,” Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini said while chuckling during a postgame news conference. “I’ve never seen anything like that. I’m just glad we worked through that situation. We stayed locked in, we stayed concentrated.”
Other players, including the Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham and New York Liberty’s Isabelle Harrison, criticized the move as a disrespectful security failure.
Fans on social media widely shared clips and pictures of the situation, and an apparent copycat threw a second green sex toy onto the court Friday during another Valkyries road game against the Chicago Sky.
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“It’s super disrespectful,” the Sky’s Elizabeth Williams said after the game, which the Valkyries won 73-66. “I don’t really get the point of it. It’s really immature. Whoever is doing it needs to grow up.”
Atlanta police have not commented on the reported arrest.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Golden State Valkyries, WNBA
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