A reporter banned from covering the Indiana Fever in person for the Indianapolis Star returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse Saturday, May 3, for the team's preseason game against the Washington Mystics.
Gregg Doyel was apparently in the crowd in his role as reporter for the Star. He tweeted throughout the game and published at least one piece about one of the team's newest additions, Sophie Cunningham.
Doyel made waves in 2024 after he was roundly criticized for an uncomfortable response to Clark during the then-rookie's introductory press conference. When it was his turn to ask a question, Doyel made a heart gesture with his hands toward Clark. At the time, the recent college graduate was known for making the heart gesture at her family and friends in the crowd at games.
Clark then asked, "You like that?" and Doyel replied, "I like that you're here, I like that you're here." Clark explained that she makes the heart to her family after each game, to which Doyel answered, "Well, start doing it to me, and we'll get along just fine."
"In my haste to be clever, to be familiar and welcoming (or so I thought), I offended Caitlin and her family," Doyel later explained. "After going through denial, and then anger -- I'm on the wrong side of this? Me??? -- I now realize what I said and how I said it was wrong, wrong, wrong. I mean it was just wrong."
It's unclear when the Indianapolis Star made the decision to allow Doyel to cover Fever games again.
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