New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart and her wife Marta Xargay found themselves the targets of threatening homophobic anonymous emails following Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. The emails directly hit Xargay’s account, creating a sense of unease for the couple, as Stewart mentioned during practice on Tuesday.
“The fact it came to Marta’s email is something she (had to) see. The level of closeness was a little bit different,” Stewart shared. “Make sure that myself and Marta are okay, but that our kids are the safest.”
Stewart nearly clinched Game 1 of the Finals, but a missed free throw with 0.8 seconds left in regulation and a potential tying layup at the overtime buzzer allowed Minnesota to clinch the victory. With the series now tied 1-1, Game 3 is set for Wednesday night in Minnesota.
The two-time MVP promptly informed the team about the emails, which were escalated to league security. “We’re taking the proper precautions. I think the threats continue to build after Game 1,” Stewart said. “We love that people are engaged in our sport, but not to the point where there’s threats or harassment or homophobic comments being made.”
Xargay filed a police complaint on the team’s and security’s advice. “Being in the Finals and everything like that it makes sense to file something formal,” Stewart noted.
The New York Police Department confirmed receiving a report of aggravated harassment involving emails sent to “a 33-year-old victim.” The department’s hate crimes taskforce is now investigating, according to a department spokesperson.
Stewart usually filters most messages through her agency, but upon learning about these emails from her wife, she felt compelled to speak out. “For me to use this platform to let people know it’s unacceptable to bring to our sport,” she asserted.
Threats via social media and email have noticeably increased this season. “We continue to emphasize that there is absolutely no room for hateful or threatening comments made about players, teams, or anyone affiliated with the WNBA,” stated a WNBA spokesperson. “We’re aware of the most recent matter and are working with league and team security as well as law enforcement on appropriate security measures.”
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed the surge in social media attacks against players in her state-of-the-league address prior to Game 1. She stressed that there is no place for such behavior and that the league would work collaboratively with the players’ union to find solutions. Engelbert mentioned the implementation of technology and increased mental health support.
“It just is something where we have to continue to be a voice for this, a voice against it, condemning it, and making sure that we find every opportunity to support our players, who have been dealing with this for much longer than this year,” Engelbert emphasized.