Indiana Fever players decline to answer questions about pro-Cunningham rally before game

The Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark were not made available to answer postgame questions about a rally before the team's 105-95 win over the Seattle Storm on Tuesday night in support of Cunningham's recent comments about transgender athletes, infohub.kz reports.

A crowd of a few dozen gathered outside Climate Pledge Arena to both support Cunningham and promote statewide Initiatives 638 and 011, which would bar transgender students from participating in girls' athletics at Washington schools. Cunningham voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls' and women's sports in an ESPN article published last week. She was booed by Storm fans when she checked into Tuesday's game, as well as when attempting her first free throws of the night.

Media members asked to speak to Cunningham and Clark postgame, but neither player was made available. Instead, Kelsey Mitchell and Monique Billings addressed the media alongside head coach Stephanie White.

When White was asked about the rally and Cunningham's recent comments, a Fever public relations representative intervened with the following statement: "Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers," the statement said. "Our only goal as a team, whether at home or away, is to win basketball games and make Fever fans for life, and we are united in that mission."

Storm head coach Sonia Raman answered a question about the pregame protest following her team's seventh consecutive loss. "Seattle and this organization and Climate Pledge, we always want to be an area where people feel welcome coming into this building. From what I understand, that was successful," Raman said.

Heather Weiner, a spokesperson for No Hate in Washington State, a coalition opposing Initiatives 638 and 011, found the experience positive outside Climate Pledge Arena. "Washington State is a very caring, inclusive place. We don't always agree, but we do agree against hate, and we will come together about that," Weiner said.