Columnist penalized for inappropriate comments at Indiana Fever press conference.

Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel has reportedly been suspended for two weeks following a widely criticized incident involving Caitlin Clark during her introductory press conference with the Indiana Fever April 17. The punishment, handed down by the Star’s owners, Gannett, came after Doyel’s inappropriate actions at the press event for the WNBA rookie.

Doyel’s behavior during the press conference was deemed “creepy” by many, prompting Gannett and the Star to take disciplinary action. He will not be attending any Fever games this summer, according to reporting on Substack from sports writer Bob Kravitz, but will continue to write columns from home while watching the games on television. The suspension is expected to end this coming Monday, and Doyel has refrained from commenting on the matter.

Doyel’s most recent column, published April 29, was focused on the Indianapolis Colts. Since then, he has remained out of the spotlight, missing key coverage opportunities, including the Indiana Pacers’ second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks. The incident involving Clark, the Fever’s first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, occurred during her introductory press conference. Doyel’s comments and actions towards Clark were widely criticized for being uncomfortable and inappropriate.

Reporter makes ‘creepy’ comments to Caitlin Clark at press conference

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During the press conference, Doyel introduced himself to Clark and mimicked her signature heart gesture, which she uses to acknowledge her parents. The exchange that followed was awkward, with Doyel making unsettling comments towards Clark.

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

“Yeah, I do that at my family after every game,” Clark responded, which was followed up by Doyel with “Start doing it to me and we’ll get along fine.”

The next day, the reporter issued an apology, acknowledging his behavior as “clumsy and awkward.”

In his apology on X, formerly Twitter, Doyel stated, “Today in my uniquely oafish way, while welcoming @caitlinclark22 to Indy, I formed my hand into her signature (heart gesture). My comment afterward was clumsy and awkward. I sincerely apologize.” He also added, “Caitlin Clark, I’m so sorry. Today I was part of the problem.”

The incident has drawn considerable criticism, with many fans and journalists expressing their disapproval of Doyel’s actions. The Star attempted to keep the suspension under wraps, but it became evident when their lead columnist was absent for key events. The paper’s employers have declined to comment on the situation, citing Gannett’s policy on personnel matters.

Reactions on social media to his reported suspension felt that the Star didn’t do enough, with some calling for Doyel to be fired, or at the very least, barred for covering Fever games in any capacity, whether in-person or at home.

The Fever will play their final preseason game Friday, with their regular-season opener set for May 14.