New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart and wife get homophobic threats amid WNBA Finals

Police are investigating a threatening, homophobic e-mail despatched to WNBA energy ahead Breanna Stewart’s spouse because the New York Liberty compete within the finals.

Police didn’t determine the one who filed the report. They mentioned a 33-year-old lady made an aggravated harassment report Thursday after she acquired “a threatening e-mail.” Stewart confirmed the threats and mentioned her spouse filed the report after observe in an interview Tuesday.

The e-mail mentioned the couple “don’t should stay and I hope you each die.”

Stewart, 30, who performs for the New York Liberty, is married to former WNBA participant Marta Xargay Casademont, 33, a member of the Spanish nationwide staff. They married in July 2021 and share two youngsters.

The New York police Hate Crimes Activity Drive is investigating the matter as a attainable bias incident on the grounds of sexual orientation discrimination. The New York Put up was the primary to report the risk.

“The actual fact it got here to Marta’s e-mail is one thing she [had to] see. The extent of closeness was somewhat bit completely different,” she informed reporters, in response to The Related Press. “Be sure that myself and Marta are OK, however that our youngsters are the most secure.”

Stewart mentioned that she reported the risk to the staff and the league and that Xargay filed a grievance with police. “Being within the finals and all the pieces like that, it is smart to file one thing formal,” she mentioned.

The risk got here after the Liberty misplaced Recreation 1 of the WNBA Finals towards the Minnesota Lynx. Stewart missed a free throw with lower than a second left in regulation that may have given the Liberty the lead, and she or he missed a layup that may have tied the sport on the finish of extra time.

Stewart informed ESPN the threatening e-mail got here after the Recreation 1 loss.

“Typically individuals are taking issues somewhat bit too far and too out of context. And Marta had gotten homophobic demise threats. A couple of different issues have occurred,” mentioned Stewart, a two-time MVP. She mentioned they reported the matter to verify “we’re doing as a lot as attainable to proceed to make it possible for our staff and the league is conscious of the scenario and proceed to maintain everyone secure.”

The Liberty and the WNBA didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert additionally spoke concerning the rising quantity of hateful speech gamers have acquired on social media in her deal with earlier than Recreation 1.

She mentioned the league will meet with the gamers affiliation, gamers and groups to handle the matter utilizing know-how and prioritizing psychological well being and reinforcing safety. 

“To begin with, there isn’t any place in sports activities for this,” Engelbert mentioned. “It simply is one thing the place we have now to proceed to be a voice for this, a voice towards it, condemning it, and ensuring that we discover each alternative to help our gamers, who’ve been coping with this for for much longer than this yr.”

The Liberty and the Lynx face off once more for Recreation 3 on Wednesday night time.