WNBA Coach Rips Officiating: ‘They Are Going to Fine Me for This’

The Atlanta Dream coach said officiating “has been notoriously bad all year.”

Atlanta Dream coach Tanisha Wright got her money’s worth Friday when she ripped WNBA officials after her team’s loss to the New York Liberty.

Wright was specifically furious after Liberty center Stefanie Dolson was merely assessed a flagrant-1 foul after elbowing Dream forward Laeticia Amihere, leading to her bleeding from the mouth. Wright picked up a technical foul for demanding a flagrant-2 call. 

“She got elbowed in the mouth. Blood was gushing out,” Wright said about the foul on Amihere. “And for them to only assess a flagrant-1 is absolutely ridiculous. Officiating has been notoriously bad all year.”

#AtlantaDream HC Tanisha Wright with some blistering words about the #WNBA’s officiating this season.

This comes after there was a flagrant-1 call on the play that left Laeticia Amihere with an injury to the face.

“They are going to fine me for this.” pic.twitter.com/OHAI7Gl2Fv

— Meghan L. Hall (@ItsMeghanLHall) June 24, 2023

Wright went on to mention that WNBA players put in “a lot of work to perfect their craft” and said officials need to “rise to that standard.”

“I don’t understand how that wasn’t a flagrant-2,” Wright continued. “I really don’t. I don’t understand it. And they’re going to fine me for this, but I’m challenging [officials] to rise their standards.”

No fine has been announced yet, but as Wright mentioned, there’s little doubt she will surely face some repercussions for criticizing referees.