By DOUG FEINBERG, AP Basketball Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart and her wife Marta Xargay received threatening homophobic anonymous emails after Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.
The emails went directly to Xargay’s account, which was a bit unnerving for the couple, Stewart said at practice on Tuesday.
“The fact it came to Marta’s email is something she (had to) see. The level of closeness was a little bit different,” she said. “Make sure that myself and Marta are okay, but that our kids are the safest.”
Stewart had a chance to win Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, but missed one of two free throws with 0.8 seconds left in regulation and then a potential tying layup at the overtime buzzer. Minnesota ended up winning the game and now the series is tied 1-1 heading into Game 3 on Wednesday night in Minnesota.
The two-time MVP said she notified the team about the emails and they escalated it to league security.
“We’re taking the proper precautions. I think the threats continue to build after Game 1,” Stewart said. “We love that people are engaged in our sport, but not to the point where there’s threats or harassment or homophobic comments being made.”
The New York Post first reported the threats.
Stewart said Xargay filed a complaint with police at the advice of the team and security.
“Being in the Finals and everything like that it makes sense to file something formal,” Stewart said.
The New York Police Department confirmed that it received a report of aggravated harassment involving emails sent to “a 33-year-old victim.” The department’s hate crimes taskforce is investigating, a spokesperson with the department’s media relations team said.
Stewart said she doesn’t usually look at most of the messages she receives and that they usually go to her agency, but once she was made aware of them by her wife she wanted to let fans know there’s no place for it.
“For me to use this platform to let people know its unacceptable to bring to our sport,” she said.
