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Earlier this week, a third man was arrested for allegedly throwing a sex toy\u2014specifically, a dildo\u2014at the court during a WNBA game, a trend started in July that a cryptocurrency group has taken credit for, while claiming not to be associated with (all of) the people who’ve been apprehended by law enforcement. If you understood each individual word of that sentence but feel like your brain might explode when trying to figure out what it means in context, we’ve got you covered.<\/p>\n
Let’s rewind for a second. On July 29, a man attending a WNBA game (the Atlanta Dream versus the Golden State Valkyries) threw a green dildo onto the court during the fourth quarter; play was stopped and an official kicked the object off of the court. Days later, at a game between the Valkyries and the Chicago Sun, another green dildo was thrown onto the court during the third quarter, similarly leading to a stoppage in play. On August 5, a similar sex toy was thrown at a game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Indian Fever, seemingly in Fever guard Sophie Cunningham<\/strong>\u2019s direction. At least three other incidents have been reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n A consortium of cryptocurrency traders has taken credit for the stunts, claiming that they were planned in order to promote a memecoin called Green Dildo Coin, which was launched the same day the first dildo was thrown. A spokesman for the group, who would only reveal his social media handle, @Daldo_Raine, told<\/a> USA Today the memecoin was created as a way to protest the \u201ctoxic\u201d environment of the crypto world. He claimed there is no intent to hurt anyone and that the group is definitely not engaging in misogynistic behavior. “We didn’t do this because like we dislike women’s sports or, like, some of the narratives that are trending right now are ridiculous,\u201d he said. \u201cCreating disruption at games is like, it happens in every single sport, right? We’ve seen it in the NFL, we’ve seen it in hockey, you know…fans doing random things to more or less create attention.\u201d Posts from the group\u2019s Telegram community, reviewed by USA Today, show one user declaring, shortly before tipoff on the night of the first incident, “We will soon buy the league.\u201d<\/p>\n On August 1, Delbert Carver<\/strong> of Marietta, Georgia, was arrested for allegedly throwing a green dildo onto the court during the Dream game against the Phoenix Mercury; according to ESPN<\/a>, police records show that \u201cCarver was detained after trying to flee and confessed to throwing the first sex toy July 29 as well. He faces counts of disorderly conduct, public indecency\/indecent exposure and criminal trespass.\u201d (Carver did not respond to multiple requests for comment from ESPN; @Daldo_Rain told the outlet that Carver was not the thrower of the object on July 29, but declined to say who threw it.)<\/p>\n On August 5, an 18 year-old named Kaden Lopez<\/strong>, was arrested during the Phoenix Mercury-Connecticut Sun game, with court records claiming, per ESPN, that \u201cLopez removed a green sex toy from his sweatshirt pocket, threw it and hit two spectators, including one minor. After the toss, he attempted to leave the building. An arena volunteer witnessed the incident, followed Lopez and tackled him.\u201d While denying association with Carver, the memecoin group has claimed Lopez was part of their stunt; in the group\u2019s Telegram chat, he was reportedly dubbed a \u201chero\u201d and a \u201clegend.\u201d (Lopez has been charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and misdemeanor assault.)<\/p>\n On August 20, Charles Burgess<\/strong>, of Dayton, Ohio, surrendered<\/a> at Brooklyn\u2019s 78th Precinct, where he was charged with third-degree assault attempted, assault in the second and third degrees, second-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree menacing, third-degree obscenity, fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon, interference with a professional sporting event and second-degree harassment. According to prosecutors, Burgess pulled a green dildo out of his pocket during an August 5 New York Liberty game and threw it towards the court, hitting a 12 year-old in the leg. Burgess\u2019 attorney told the New York Post that his client \u201cvoluntarily surrendered,\u201d is married with six kids, and has \u201cabsolutely no criminal record.\u201d The attorney also claimed that\u00a0 \u201cvideo evidence\u201d shows that \u201cno one was actually struck by the thrown object rendering any of the included assault charges unsustainable,\u201d and that \u201cMr. Burgess intends to vigorously fight these embellished and exaggerated charges.\u201d<\/p>\n Sure seems like it! While some have attempted to claim otherwise by noting similar incidents that have occurred at NFL games\u2014for instance, Buffalo Bills fans have been known for throwing dildos on the field during games against the New England Patriots\u2014others are not convinced. As Slate\u2019s Christina Cauterucci<\/strong> notes<\/a>, \u201cfootball players wear helmets and padding on a field 12 times larger than a basketball court, making a flying dildo much less dangerous. And it\u2019s foolish to pretend that the context is identical. Throwing a piece of penis-shaped, penetration-ready silicone at a woman in her workplace sends a much different message than tossing one at a man.\u201d<\/p>\n On August 4, the WNBA said<\/a> in a statement: “The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league. Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans. In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities.” A day later, Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynee Roberts<\/strong> said: “It’s ridiculous. It’s dumb. It’s stupid. It’s also dangerous, and you know, player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things.”<\/p>\n On August 1, Cunningham wrote<\/a> on X: \u201cstop throwing dildos on the court\u2026 you\u2019re going to hurt one of us.\u201d The same day, Sky center Elizabeth Williams<\/strong> told<\/a> reporters: “It’s super disrespectful. I don’t really get the point of it. It’s really immature. Whoever is doing it needs to grow up.\u201d New York Liberty forward Isabelle Harrison<\/strong> wrote on X: “ARENA SECURITY?! Hello??! Please do better. It’s not funny. never was funny. Throwing ANYTHING on the court is so dangerous.” Former Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi<\/strong> told<\/a> Front Office Sports: \u201cI would have picked that thing up and thrown it right back at them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWhat does crypto have to do with it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Who has been arrested?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Is this as misogynistic as it sounds?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What has the league said?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What have players had to say?<\/strong><\/h2>\n