Gregg Doyel suspended, excluded from Fever games for Caitlin Clark substitution

Sports

From Ryan Glass Mirror

The Indianapolis Star has suspended sports columnist Gregg Doyel after an embarrassing interaction with Caitlin Clark at a news conference went viral.

Doyel is suspended for two weeks, longtime Indianapolis sportswriter Bob Kravitz reported.

As an added punishment, Doyel will not go to Clark’s rookie games this season, but will instead cover them on television to spread opinions.

The report did not specify whether the suspension is paid or unpaid.

The Indianapolis Star is owned by USA Today’s parent company, Gannett.

The Indiana Fever selected Clark first overall in the WNBA Draft and introduced her to the media on April 17.

At the news conference, Doyel made a heart gesture with his hands toward Clark, a gesture she made to her family during games while playing college basketball at Iowa.

“You like that?” Clark replied.

“I like that you’re here, I like that you’re here,” Doyel said.

Clark explained that she made the gesture to her family, and Doyel responded, “Start doing it to me and we’ll get along just fine.”

Doyel has not filed a report since contributing to the Colts’ NFL Draft on April 29 and missed Clark’s preseason debut as well as the Pacers’ victory over the Bucks in the first round of the NBA playoffs and the start of their series against the Knicks.

Shortly after the bizarre interaction with Clark, Doyel wrote an apology column.

“I now realize what I said and how I said it was wrong, wrong, wrong. I mean, it was easy incorrect“, he concluded the column. “Caitlin Clark, I’m so sorry.”

Doyel did not immediately respond to an email from The Post asking if he had further comment.