WNBA apologizes for security staff covering fans' shirts in Atlanta game

The WNBA apologized on Monday for an incident in which league security personnel asked at least three fans to cover shirts displaying messages about transgender women's participation in sports during a game in Atlanta on Sunday. The league stated the actions were incorrect and informed the security staff involved that they were wrong.

The confrontation occurred during overtime of the game between the Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever at State Farm Arena on August 16, 2026. According to the WNBA, fans were asked by league security to cover their shirts. A league spokesperson said, "The WNBA is aware of interactions at last night's game in Atlanta in which fans were asked by league security to cover their shirts. This should not have happened."

Two of the fans, identified as Kasey Thomason and her 17-year-old daughter Annie, wore shirts from the brand XXXY Athletics, which opposes transgender women competing in female sports. They said they were supporting Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who has recently voiced similar views. According to the Thomasons, security told them their shirts were "offensive" and gave them an ultimatum to cover them with provided Dream shirts or...