SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton has been fined an undisclosed amount and suspended from attending the team’s next five home games, the WNBA confirmed Thursday.The suspension came a day after the team apologized for an exchange that took place between one of its co-owners and two fans during the team’s 105-95 loss Tuesday night to the Indiana Fever. The Storm didn’t elaborate on the nature of the incident and didn’t say which Storm co-owner was involved. But on Thursday the team said it respects the league’s decision to fine and suspend Keaton. “We remain committed to creating a welcoming and respectful environment for anyone who attends a Storm game,” the team said. The incident occurred Tuesday night during an evening that began with a demonstration outside Climate Pledge Arena. The team didn’t say if the exchange was related to the protest.
Ahead of the game, a crowd of a few dozen gathered to both support Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and to promote a statewide ballot initiative, IL26-638, that would bar transgender students from participating in girls’ athletics at Washington schools.Some members of the group carried signs in support of Cunningham or wore T-shirts depicting the XX and XY chromosomes. Some of them were also inside the arena during the game.
