Brittney Griner harassed at DFW Airport, adjustments for player safety to follow

During the Mercury’s most recent road trip from Dallas to Indiana, star center Brittney Griner was harassed by a person described as a “social media provocateur”.

Griner was released from her wrongful detainment in Russia late last year.

The man followed her around while recording, continuously attempting to push through the team’s security to ask inappropriate questions like if Griner had sex with Vladimir Putin in order to be released from Russia.

Diana Taurasi told Griner to “take a breathe” in that moment and that the team being put in this situation simply cannot happen.

Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard said the team and league will be making adjustments for travel in order to keep the players safe.

In the clip above, Sports360AZ’s Eliav Gabay gave his take of the situation.

Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, is calling for chartered flights in the WNBA:

Brittney Griner and the @WNBA players are leaders who inspire hope for a better, more inclusive and less divided America. They are celebrated for the ways their activism inspires positive change. In doing that, they also become targets for hate, threats and violence [1/2]

— Lindsay Kagawa Colas (she/her) (@kagawacolas) June 10, 2023

Teammate Brianna Turner also came to Griner’s defense via Twitter:

Player safety while traveling should be at the forefront. People following with cameras saying wild remarks is never acceptable. Excessive harassment. Our team nervously huddled in a corner unsure how to move about. We demand better.

— Brianna Turner (@_Breezy_Briii) June 10, 2023

Here are statements released by the Mercury and the WNBA:

#WNBA released a statement regarding an incident in the Dallas airport involving Brittney Griner:

“…it has come to our attention that this was orchestrated by a social media figure and provocateur. His actions were inappropriate and unfortunate.”

Full statement:@Sports360AZ pic.twitter.com/VHDXCQo73e

— Eliav Gabay (@eliavgabay) June 10, 2023

#Mercury released a statement regarding an incident in the Dallas airport involving Brittney Griner:

“….The health and well-being of our players and staff are our top priority and we will always take every step within our power to protect player safety.”

Full:@Sports360AZ pic.twitter.com/aODvV6Bgjq

— Eliav Gabay (@eliavgabay) June 10, 2023