Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve criticized the referees after her team lost the WNBA championship to the New York Liberty in overtime. The game was pushed into extra time after a controversial foul call in the final seconds of regulation, allowing the Liberty to tie the game and eventually win. Reeve felt that the foul on Alanna Smith was questionable and believed the game was “stolen” from her team. In response, Liberty head coach Sheryl Brondello defended the officiating, saying it was fair and that her team deserved the win. Brondello had previously criticized the referees in Game 4 for not calling fouls against the Liberty. She was heard on the game broadcast encouraging her team to embellish fouls to get the calls they deserved. This controversy is not unique to the WNBA, as other sports championships have also been marred by disputes over officiating decisions. For example, fans of the San Francisco 49ers were upset after several penalties were not called in the 2020 Super Bowl, which the Kansas City Chiefs went on to win. Ultimately, the debate over officiating is a common aspect of sports championships, with coaches and fans often expressing frustration when calls do not go their way.
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Minnesota Lynx coach accuses WNBA championship being taken away due to controversial foul call in New York Liberty game
