Calls Mount for WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert to Resign After Game 5

Fans outraged officiating played big part in deciding WNBA champion

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The New York Liberty won their first WNBA championship on Sunday night with a 67-62 overtime win over the Minnesota Lynx, but it wasn’t without controversy.

With five seconds left in the fourth quarter, Liberty forward Breanna Stewart drew a questionable foul while driving to the basket. She ultimately knocked down both free throws to tie it 60-60 and send the game to overtime where New York pulled away.

The controversial foul call was just one of several instances where it seemed the officials were favoring the Liberty, prompting several fans to call out the WNBA and the refs for rigging the game in New York’s favor (the Liberty are the much bigger market and feature two of the league’s top stars in Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.)

As the Liberty celebrated their first WNBA title one season after finishing runner-up to the Las Vegas Aces, demand was growing on social media for WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to step down amid accusations of the league fixing the winner-take-all contest and her seemingly blatant desire for the Liberty to win the championship.

“WNBA is over so I promise I’ll stop rage tweeting, but remember y’all, as always, FIRE @CathyEngelbert,” one fan wrote.

“@CathyEngelbert why is your league such a big a** joke rn you a clown and should either step tf up or step down,” a second exclaimed.

Oct 10, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert holds a press conference before game one of the WNBA Finals at Barclays Center.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

“That ref really looked his ugly a** in the camera and told us ‘Alanna Smith was in an illegal guarding position’ BOLD FACED LIE!!! Fraud a** game 5! #WNBA @CathyEngelbert you need to resign!!!” another expressed.

“So rigged. Minnesota was about to win it but the refs missed that travel AND called a foul that wasn’t there. horrible officiating @CathyEngelbert step down,” another user wrote.

“Let’s fire Cathy Engelbert and improve the league,” remarked another.

“Nah fam get @CathyEngelbert up out of here,” one user commented.

The WNBA was already trying to put out one fire with allegations of racism and hateful treatment of certain players during the playoffs.

Now, it has a whole other problem on its hands.