The debate over Caitlin Clark’s treatment on the court keeps getting bigger. Questions about rough fouls, missed calls, and player targeting have put the Indiana Fever guard in the spotlight. From prominent ex-players to journalists, the discourse has been divisive to say the least, with even lawmakers not shying from offering an opinion. Following Clark’s recent fist-to-the-throat tussle with Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas, Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger has dived in, warning the WNBA of even involving the Department of Justice.

“I led my colleagues in demanding accountability from @WNBA Commissioner Engelbert after MULTIPLE attacks against Caitlin Clark, a player who is transforming women’s sports and inspiring a new generation of young girls to participate in athletics,” Pfluger said on X. “I’m putting the league on notice that if it keeps letting the violent targeting slide, they could find themselves facing a DOJ and EEOC crackdown for violating federal civil rights law.”

It all unfolded when Thomas seemingly hit Caitlin Clark in the throat with her fist during a game on June 25. The referees did not call a foul during the game. Later, the WNBA reviewed the play, changed it to a flagrant foul, and suspended Thomas for one game for “recklessly making contact with her fist.” However, that wasn’t enough to quell August Pfluger’s discontent.

Thomas called the hit accidental. She also said she received death threats after the incident. Clark and Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White both spoke out against those threats and deemed such behavior unacceptable. What makes the situation even more polemic is that Clark’s own teammate, Sophie Cunningham, claimed that she is treated differently.

“But they are definitely targeting [Clark], and the league and the refs do nothing to protect her,” Cunningham said on the Show Me Something podcast.

Since Clark joined the WNBA in 2024, she has been called for more flagrant fouls against her than any other player. She has taken nine flagrant fouls in only 72 regular-season and playoff games. The guard has been involved in numerous heated encounters, including an infamous tussle with the Connecticut Sun last year. Following a heated encounter that involved shoving and body checks, the referees gave Jacy Sheldon a Flagrant 1 foul for “unnecessary” contact to Clark’s face with “wind up and impact.” Clark, Marina Mabrey, and Tina Charles also received technical fouls

After the game, Fever head coach Stephanie White said the incident could have been prevented if the referees had controlled the game better from the beginning. It doesn’t stop there, however; Clark has also received a lot of technical fouls with no clear explanation. Back in late June, during the Indiana Fever’s 86-77 win over the Phoenix Mercury in the fourth quarter, Clark got into a heated moment with former Fever player DeWanna Bonner.

Bonner’s partner, Alyssa Thomas, then stepped in, and Sophie Cunningham and Myisha Hines-Allen also joined.  The players pushed each other and pointed fingers, but no fight broke out. After watching the replay, the referees gave technical fouls to Clark, Cunningham, Hines-Allen, Bonner, and Thomas. This foul left Clark second behind only Angel Reese for the most technical fouls in the WNBA, with five in 16 games. She even questioned the call, but nothing changed.

“I got a technical for clapping. We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game that I’m going to be suspended for if I’m gonna get technicals for clapping,” Clark said after the game.

While Pfluger has accused the league of inaction, physical defense and targeting are long-standing realities in the WNBA. League legends like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, and Candace Parker also faced intense physical play as defenders attempted to thwart elite playmakers and scorers. Clark’s case, however, is different due to the relentless off-court discourse and media scrutiny.

Clark has been facing this situation since the start of her career. In 2024, she drew more fouls than any other rookie, averaging 4.2 fouls per game. She also ranked third in the entire WNBA with 46 total fouls drawn. As for outside intervention, the widespread reaction to her incident with Alyssa Thomas hasn’t helped the WNBA’s case.

Caitlin Clark could have faced a serious injury, per former NBA doctor

Adding credence to August Pfluger’s plea is former Philadelphia 76ers doctor Dr. Nicholas DiNubile, who said the hit Caitlin Clark took to her throat during the Fever-Mercury game could have caused a dangerous medical emergency.

“You can crush someone’s larynx with very little pressure,” DiNubile told Fox News. “Ten to 20 pounds of pressure can damage the throat or larynx area. Even if you don’t fracture the larynx, a blow to that area could get some swelling or bleeding and close the airway, and get into a very rapid life-or-death situation. I wouldn’t want to be the team doctor having to deal with that… you can’t go for the throat.”

On top of it, Dr. Nicholas DiNubile said Caitlin Clark cannot do much to avoid these kinds of hits as she is not the one causing these situations. His comments echoed the sentiments of Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White. After the game, White criticized the referees for missing the contact, saying that Clark “is not called the same way as everybody else is called.”

Now, with all the drama, let’s wait and see if August Pfluger’s warnings yield an impactful result or response. As of writing, neither the WNBA nor Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has directly commented on the recent letter from Congress.