The WNBA is still struggling with a series of sex toy disorders.
During last and a half week, sex toys were launched on the field in matches in Atlanta on July 29, in Chicago on August 1, in Los Angeles on August 5 and in Chicago on Thursday evening, with the most recent object Strike the field in the last seconds of the victory of Atlanta’s dream on the sky.
The sex toy that landed on the ground in Los Angeles almost hit The Sophie Cunningham fever in the Indiana match against the Sparks. Sex toys were also launched in matches in New York and Phoenix last Tuesday, but did not reach the court. The police said that another toy was launched during a match in Atlanta on August 1, although it was not clear if it arrived in the court.
The distractions have created unexpected challenges for the League, the teams and the players, but also for the safety of the arena. Here’s what you need to know.
Are the arrests crazy
e?
A man was arrested on Saturday in College Park, Georgia, after being accused of having thrown a sex toy on the field during the July 29 match of Atlanta with the Golden State Valkyries, according to a police report. The report indicates that he had launched another sex toy in the Dream match on August 1 against the Phoenix Mercury, but this body did not seem to lead to a delay in play.
He is accused of disorderly conduct, criminal intrusion, public indecency and indecent exposure. The four accusations are crimes in the state of Georgia, which means that if it is condemned, the sanction for each can be a fine of up to $ 1,000 or a prison sentence of up to 12 months. An offense for public indecency and indecent exposure may also require recording on the list of state offenders.
The report indicates that the man said to the police “It was supposed to be a joke and that the joke (was) supposed to become viral.” “”
Another man at Phoenix was arrested After the police, he said he launched a sex toy on Tuesday in the crowd in a Mercury match. Police say the 18 -year -old pulled the sex toy from his sweater and threw him towards seats in front of him, hitting a spectator in the back.
The man later told the police that it was a farce that tended on social networks and that he had bought the toy one day earlier to take the match. He was then discussed by a volunteer from the arena who had witnessed the incident and began to follow him while the man tried to leave the arena.
Police said the man was arrested for suspicion of assault, disorderly conduct and publicly displaying explicit sex material.
The New York Liberty told the Associated Press on Thursday evening that there was an ongoing investigation into the launch in New York and that the team cooperates with the police.
What difficulties are faced with the safety of the arena to stop this?
The types of sex toys thrown in the field generally do not include metallic elements, which means that metal detectors in the arena are unable to feel them. When worn on the body of a spectator, they become even more difficult to detect.
According to Ty Richmond, the president of the event services division at Allied Universal Security, a company that provides security services to certain NBA, NBA, MLB and MLS security services across the country.
The WNBA logo is seen near a hoop before a WNBA basketball match in Mohegan Sun Arena, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Uncasville, Connecticut (APTO Photo / Jessica Hill, File)
“Not all stages use a coherent screening process and cannot detect (sex toys) because of what it would need-tapping research, opening bags, prohibiting bags,” he said. “The conflict of opportunity, to bring fans into the arena and in the place, which is an important problem and security and security.”
The limits of ARENA security make legal action one of the strongest deterrents for this type of behavior, said Richmond.
“The decision to continue and show examples of how people are treated is very important,” he said. “Without a doubt, I think it will make a difference. The application of it is important, and advertising is important. ”
There was no arrest made for the in Los Angeles and Chicago. In an AP statement, the Sparks said they “work with the arena staff to identify the responsible person and guarantee that appropriate measures are taken”.
The WNBA said that all spectators throwing objects in the court will be faced with a minimum one -year ban and the prosecution of the police.
How does that affect players?
While the disturbances accumulate, those in the field have become more and more frustrated.
“Everyone is trying to make sure that the W is not a joke and that it is taken seriously, then it happens,” said Cunningham on his podcast after being struck by one of the sex toys on Tuesday. “I say to myself,” How are we going to be taken seriously? “”
No other professional sports league has faced disturbances of sex toys like this. He launched an online conversation on the choices of the authors to throw them during the matches in a female league and a league with a quantity of lesbian and lesbian queer.
“It has been going on for centuries, the sexualization of women. This is the latest version of this. It is not funny. It should not be the target of the jokes,” said Minnesota Lynx Cheryl Reeve coach. “Women’s sexualization is what is used to remember women, and it’s no different.”
Despite the criminal behavior leading to arrests, at least one market of cryptography predictions offers transactions essentially allowing users to bet if sex toys will be launched in future WNBA games.
The players also struck on social networks, echoing the concerns about Arena security protocols.
Liberty striker Isabelle Harrison posted on X last week, saying “Security of the arena?!” Good morning?
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/wnba
