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NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA said Saturday that the individual who threw a sex toy on the court at an Atlanta Dream game earlier in the week was arrested and that any person throwing objects onto the court will be ejected from the arena and face a minimum one-year ban.
The incident in Atlanta occurred late in the fourth quarter of the Dream’s game against Golden State on Tuesday in College Park, Georgia. On Friday, another sex toy was thrown in Chicago under a basket after a whistle was blown to stop play during the third quarter of Golden State’s 73-66 victory over the Sky. An official kicked the object aside before it was picked up and removed.
It’s unknown if the fan who threw the object at the Sky game was arrested.
“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 league said in a statement. “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.”
“It’s super disrespectful,” Sky center Elizabeth Williams said after FRiday’s game. “I don’t really get the point of it. It’s really immature. Whoever is doing it needs to grow up.”
New York Liberty forward Isabelle Harrison commented on social media about the situation Friday.
“ARENA SECURITY?! Hello??!” Harrison said on X. “Please do better. It’s not funny. Never was funny. Throwing ANYTHING on the court is so dangerous.”
WNBA arenas have security procedures, with many having either a no-bag policy or some allowing clear bags, often limited in size. Every bag is subject to search upon arena entry.
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball