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Carter’s foul on Clark upgraded by WNBA; Reese fined for no postgame interview
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA on Sunday upgraded Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter’s foul against Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark to a flagrant-1 violation after reviewing the play.
Carter gave a shoulder shot to Clark that knocked her to the floor before an inbound pass during the third quarter of Saturday’s 71-70 win by the Fever. The officials called it an away-from-the-ball foul and didn’t review the play. It was deemed a common foul at the time.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Clark said after the game. “It is what it is. It’s a physical game. Go make the free throw and execute on offense, and I feel like that’s kind of what we did.”
Carter didn’t answer questions about Clark or the play after the game.
The league fined Sky forward Angel Reese $1,000 for failing to make herself available to the media after Saturday’s game. The WNBA also fined Chicago $5,000 for failing to ensure that all players comply with league media policies.
The league office may reclassify a flagrant foul or upgrade a foul to a flagrant one that isn’t called during the game. In addition, the league may impose a fine or suspend a player for a flagrant foul. The WNBA didn’t do either to Carter.
Players accumulate points for flagrant fouls during the regular season and receive suspensions if they reach a certain number.
Indiana coach Christie Sides praised Clark in her postgame interview Saturday for keeping her composure through all the physical play she’s faced this season.
“We’re just going to keep sending these possessions to the league, and these plays, and hopefully they’ll start, you know, taking a better look at some of the things that we see happening, or we think is happening,” she said. “Just more happy that Caitlin handled it the way she did. You know, it’s tough to keep getting hammered the way she does and to not get rewarded with free throws or foul calls. She’s continued to fight through that. Appreciate that from her. Really, really proud of her for doing that.”
Clark finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Reese had eight points and 13 rebounds.
Extreme turbulence Thursday over Greenland forced a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Stockholm to Miami to turn around and return to Europe.
Dramatic video from Scandinavian Airlines Flight 957 showed the severe turbulence that left some of the 254 passengers screaming and the cabin littered with debris.
There were no reports of any serious injuries on the flight.
The pilots chose to make a U-turn and fly about five hours back to Copenhagen, where the plane was inspected for damage.
In a statement provided to CBS News, the airline said it has “the best facilities and staff for this level of inspection” at Copenhagen Airport, and it “therefore decided to reroute the aircraft here, where both hangar space and qualified technicians were available.”
It added that flying the plane to Miami “would have resulted in it being grounded for an extended period, leading to multiple cancellations.”
Former National Transportation Safety Board chair Robert Sumwalt questioned why the pilots didn’t choose a closer airport.
“If the structural integrity of the airplane was in question, they should have landed at the nearest suitable airport,” Sumwalt said. “The question will be, did they return to Copenhagen out of convenience, or did they do it because they thought that was the safest path?”
Researchers believe climate change may be a factor in severe turbulence becoming more common. A 2023 study published in the journal of Geophysical Research Letters found a 55% increase in turbulence over the North Atlantic since 1979.
“During this time of year, typically, there can be some stronger turbulence,” said Laura Einsetler, an airline captain who flies through that area. “We always try to avoid these type of areas.”
The Federal Aviation Administration says injuries due to turbulence are rare. Sumwalt says wearing a seatbelt is key.
“There’s some technology out there that can really keep people from getting hurt,” Sumwalt said. “And that technology is called a seatbelt.”
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