The Las Vegas Aces released a strong statement condemning the racial abuse against Chelsea Gray
The Las Vegas Aces have issued a strong statement condemning the hateful messages recently sent to starting guard Chelsea Gray. This comes a day after a man was fired from his job because of a message on Instagram sent by Gray in which he insulted her and used profanity.
“The Las Vegas Aces organization strongly condemns the hateful and racist messages recently directed at Chelsea Gray,” read the team’s official statement. “We do not tolerate hate speech of any kind, whether online, on the pitch, or anywhere in our community.
“We stand behind those who have the courage to speak up. We stand with anyone who has been subjected to this type of unacceptable behavior.”
After Sunday’s 109-75 loss to the Indiana Fever, Gray shared a screenshot of a message he received where he was called the N-word. It is reported that the person who sent this message was working at Hilton Grand Vacations, but he has been fired for his actions.
“We stand with organizations, like Hilton Grand Vacations, that accuse people of racist behavior,” the Aces statement continued. “We commend them for the speedy way in which they have resolved this issue, no athlete should face this kind of abuse for playing the sport they love.
“To all of our players and the entire WNBA community, we have our unwavering support in the fight against all forms of racism, hate speech and harassment. You are all valuable members of this league, and we stand with you today and forever.”
Over the course of the day, Gray said he was very grateful to his teammates and everyone who showed support in the past few days. He also spoke forcefully in publicizing abuse and racism.
“Moments like these remind me of the power of people coming together,” she said. “The hatred directed at me and many other Black athletes is one of the many ways that systemic racism manifests itself in our lives. But as athletes, there is real power in calling it out and naming it, and we have a real opportunity to create change together when we do so.
“For me that starts with showing up every day and being unstoppable in using my voice, and focusing on this team and my community and our larger goals, on and off the court.”
Shortly after the Aces posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, the WNBA cited their post and shared a statement showing support for Gray and the rest of the league.
“The WNBA fully supports the Las Vegas Aces’ statement and stands with Chelsea and all members of our league,” read a post on the official WNBA account. “We unequivocally condemn racism and all forms of hate. There is no place for this behavior in sports or anywhere, and we remain committed to protecting players and fostering an environment built on respect and inclusion.”
This is not the first incident this season that requires players, coaches and the league to address hate speech. A few weeks ago, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas and her teammates were receiving death threats following a mid-game incident involving Fever star Caitlin Clark. In response to the abuse, Clark and coach Stephanie White spoke out. The WNBA also released a statement condemning “any form of hate speech” while adding that the safety and well-being of everyone in the community is the league’s top priority.
