{"id":72616,"date":"2025-08-10T15:34:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-10T15:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/72616\/"},"modified":"2025-08-10T15:34:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T15:34:11","slug":"another-sex-toy-interrupts-final-seconds-of-wnba-game-as-commissioner-cathy-engelbert-denounces-totally-unacceptable-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/72616\/","title":{"rendered":"Another sex toy interrupts final seconds of WNBA game, as commissioner Cathy Engelbert denounces \u2018totally unacceptable\u2019 trend"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>                Facebook<\/p>\n<p>                Tweet<\/p>\n<p>        <a class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share\" href=\"mailto:?subject=CNN%20content%20share&amp;body=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F08%2F08%2Fsport%2Fbasketball-wnba-sex-toy-sky-dream-intl\" data-type=\"email\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"share with email\" title=\"Share with email\"><\/p>\n<p>                Email<br \/>\n        <\/a><\/p>\n<p>                Link<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme27ecg7004m26ql1hho8hl2@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Yet another sex toy was thrown onto a WNBA court, this time in the closing seconds of the Atlanta Dream\u2019s 86-65 win over the Chicago Sky.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme27egic00003b6n5lu443ot@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            With just under six seconds remaining at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago on Thursday, play was momentarily stopped after a purple toy was thrown from the stands \u2013 the fourth in growing lists of recent copycat incidents.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme28ay3h000t3b6n3drbrfj4@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/colincsalao\/status\/1953639613912035389\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">According to<\/a> Front Office Sports reporter Colin Salao, a second sex toy was thrown on Thursday but only made it behind the Dream\u2019s bench.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2kty8700013b6nefe1kvpc@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Two people were questioned by security shortly after the incident, according to Salao, but were let go as there was no evidence they were responsible.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2838fw000c3b6n17589nf0@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/sport\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">CNN Sports<\/a> has also reached out to the WNBA, the Chicago Sky and the Atlanta Dream for comment.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2sdd72000b3b6n09f1nmj1@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Earlier this week, the WNBA said any fan caught throwing sex toys onto the court will face prosecution as well as a ban from the league.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2sdxjs000e3b6ndjc0i0au@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has also denounced the trend, calling it \u201cunacceptable.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2sczgx00073b6n4kwtwgs3@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cI\u2019m almost in my 40th year in business and unfortunately we get these kinds of acts and it\u2019s totally unacceptable,\u201d Engelbert <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Sportico\/status\/1953604178246340954\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">said to Sportico Sports Business<\/a>, before the latest incident on Thursday.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2sgepw000j3b6nyqvtd8z7@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cThese people are trading whatever notoriety they\u2019re getting for a felony conviction. So, we have caught two of the guys and they\u2019re being charged with felonies and it doesn\u2019t make any sense to me for whatever their little joy ride is.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2sebm0000h3b6n7vn2ulwt@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            She added: \u201cHopefully, it just ends with the fact that, if you want a felony conviction on your record, go ahead and do it. But obviously it can be very dangerous to throw anything, let alone what they are throwing.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2kq1g500003b6ns50hrvrl@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            It is the second time a Sky game was interrupted by an incident. Last Friday, a sex toy was thrown from the stands during the team\u2019s game against the Golden State Valkyries. The toy landed just out of bounds underneath one of the baskets.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2kxb9o00053b6nc3clm5kz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Earlier on Thursday, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve called the growing number of incidents a \u201cdistraction.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2kxps500083b6nhigexwhl@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cThis has been going on for centuries,\u201d Reeve told reporters. \u201cThe sexualization of women. This is the latest version of that. And it\u2019s not funny and it should not be the butt of jokes on radio shows, or in print or any comments.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2kxund000b3b6nkku3u7ws@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cThe sexualization of women is what\u2019s used to hold women down and this is no different. This is its latest form and we should write about it in that way. These people that are doing this should be held accountable and we\u2019re not the butt of the joke. They\u2019re the problem.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme27w11l00093b6nt2o7mde5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Thursday\u2019s incident also comes two days after a green toy was thrown in the direction of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham during the team\u2019s game against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Crypto.com Arena.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme29cbxl001t3b6n9bbu26j5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The 28-year-old Cunningham had <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/sophaller\/status\/1951457339405639982\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">previously asked<\/a> people to stop throwing such objects earlier this week on social media but appeared to be struck on the leg by the toy during Tuesday\u2019s game.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme29r6bu00263b6n24ekl5rx@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cthis did NOT age well,\u201d she <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/sophaller\/status\/1952962130912919737\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">wrote<\/a> on X after the game, replying to her own previous post calling for spectators to stop throwing sex toys on the court.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme29r6bu00273b6nem5s3euc@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            She also had posted a message on her Instagram Stories, saying: \u201cNo way that thing actually hit me. I knew I shouldn\u2019t have tweeted that.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2840ss000f3b6njst4z37x@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The Valkyries and Dream were also subject to an incident at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia last week.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2893y6000q3b6n9f2weazq@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The individual involved in the incident in Atlanta was identified and arrested, according to the WNBA.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme28b3rn000v3b6nl4ymxaxv@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            They are reportedly charged with disorderly conduct, public indecency\/indecent exposure, and criminal trespass, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/sports\/fan-who-threw-sex-toy-faces-multiple-charges-2025-08-05\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Reuters<\/a>, with a court date yet to be established.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme28749p000l3b6nssw7fonc@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            According to social media posts seen by the <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/sparks-sex-toy-262247e155bdc42388a1319c3c1ac433\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Associated Press<\/a>, green toys were also previously thrown in Phoenix and New York, but didn\u2019t reach the court.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2l06ix000p3b6ny0963p1e@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            On Thursday, a group of cryptocurrency meme coin creators claimed responsibility for some of the incidents.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2l3mcj000u3b6nkp8eu0yf@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            In an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/wnba\/2025\/08\/07\/wnba-sex-toys-green-dildo-crypto-meme-coin\/85551443007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">interview with USA Today<\/a>, a spokesperson for the group said members had started throwing the green items to coincide with the launch of a new meme coin, the name of which is a play on a type of sex toy.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2l705r000z3b6nfi28uuwz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The spokesperson told the outlet the new coin was in protest of the current state of the crypto market, and the group said they were \u201cviral stunts\u201d to gain attention for the coin, rejecting the narrative that the incidents were disrespectful towards women\u2019s athletes.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2ldtof00143b6n7iow8a42@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cWe didn\u2019t do this because like we dislike women\u2019s sports or, like, some of the narratives that are trending right now are ridiculous,\u201d the spokesperson said.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cme2le2s900163b6nbv75ok9k@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cCreating disruption at games is like, it happens in every single sport, right? We\u2019ve seen it in the NFL, we\u2019ve seen it in hockey, you know \u2026 fans doing random things to more or less create attention.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Facebook Tweet Email Link Yet another sex toy was thrown onto a WNBA court, this time in the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":72617,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[99,434],"class_list":["post-72616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wnba","tag-sports","tag-wnba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72616"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72616\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}