Fever reserve Sophie Cunningham draws boos at Tempo game
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
TORONTO – Fever guard Sophie Cunningham drew two rounds of boos when she checked into Indiana’s game against the Toronto Tempo on Tuesday.
There was a mixed response of boos and cheers as Cunningham got off the visitors’ bench and removed her warm-up gear.
When it was announced that she had officially checked into the game for the first time there was a louder round of boos at Scotiabank Arena.
Cunningham has become a political lightning rod since she said in an interview with ESPN that WNBA players shouldn’t have to play against “biological men,” referring to transgender women.
There are currently no transgender women in the WNBA or playing NCAA women’s basketball. There are fewer than 10 openly transgender people among the 500,000 student-athletes competing across all NCAA sports.
The league’s collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” but it does not include any more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. Last Friday, two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft in April, saying they identify as women.
Fans held up small signs and flags supporting transgender people during the game with messages like “Transphobes don’t belong in women’s sports” and “We (heart) trans athletes.”
Another fan held up a blue, pink and white transgender pride flag when Cunningham checked into the game.
About a dozen demonstrators supporting Cunningham held signs and a flag outside Scotiabank Arena before the game.
— With files from The Associated Press.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2026.