ARLINGTON, Texas – The Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade weighed heavily on athletes on Friday. The Dallas Wings’ Satou Sabally spoke to Bally Sports about how this could affect not just her, but also people who don’t have the same support she does.
“It's kind of a saddening day and it really doesn't even seem real to me," said Sabally, 24. "And I think it also has to, because I'm so young and I'm in this phase of actually thinking, 'Hey, is it time to have babies? Is it time to decide for a career? What kind of path do you want to choose?' But I always felt like the strength was within me.
“And I feel like with Roe v. Wade being overturned, that strength is totally being given away and taken away from every single, individual female. And that is unacceptable. It's devastating. Any male should be up and screaming for their fellow women. It's scary and I think it's not going to affect me the same way it affects a 15-year-old girl that lives in rural Texas.”
According to the Texas Tribune, the ruling makes abortion virtually illegal in Texas, and abortions have already stopped in the home state of the Wings.
“[I’m] sending love to all the women out there, all the young teenagers out there that might be in a situation they don't want to be in and are forced to do so, sending strength to those and just trying to do the best,” Sabally said. “I really don't even know what to do. There's nothing you could really do right now. It's a Supreme Court. It's people we should trust, but it's just not happening.”
The WNBA Players Association released a statement not long after the ruling was issued, condemning it as out of touch.
The WNBPA is comfortable standing up for the rights of all people, not just its players. WNBA players have protested to stop police brutality and support LGBTQ+ rights. When former Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler spoke out against her players wearing shirts that said “Black Lives Matter,” WNBA players wore shirts in favor of Raphael Warnock, who ran against Loeffler and won one of Georgia’s Senate seats.
Along with the WNBA and NBA, players have already tweeted their reaction to the news, including the New York Liberty’s Stefanie Dolson, the Phoenix Mercury’s Brianna Turner and the Seattle Storm's Breanna Stewart.
Sabally said the WNBPA is already working on a response, and there’s a piece of her that wishes she could be protesting right now at the White House.
“My problem with all this is, this is all we can do, this is all we can say," she said. "And I really salute all the women that are in front of the White House, protesting every day.”
