Another case of sports and domestic violence (UPDATE*)

Riddle me this: Two professional female athletes get into a domestic…let’s call it a  “kerfuffle” and there are witnesses… Does it make headline news a’ la Ray Rice, Floyd Mayweather, Ocho Cinco, and the other men of professional sports who have laid hands on the women in their lives?
The answer to that is a resounding…BARELY.

A few weeks ago, two players from the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) quietly made the news for a domestic violence situation at their Arizona home. Brittney Griner who plays center for the Phoenix Mercury and her fiancé, Tulsa Shock forward Glory Johnson, were allegedly planning their wedding when things got “turnt,” Purportedly, Johnson felt disrespected by Griner and what started as a heated verbal exchange quickly escalated to a physical altercation that lasted 4-6 minutes according to eyewitness accounts.
Sources indicate that Griner’s sister is the one who called police after guests present at the home were unable to separate the couple. Griner told the police that she and Johnson had been under stress lately as they planned their wedding, bought a house together and managed their relationship. According to the Arizona Republic, Griner told officers: “It turned into a fight. Broke up. We kept arguing, mouthing back and forth, clashed again, separated us, clashed again, separated us and here we are now.”
Both Griner and Johnson sustained minor physical injuries and appear to be unscathed professionally.

Griner’s endorsement with Nike still seems to be intact. And what’s more interesting is that The Mercury, Shock and WNBA issued almost identical statements about the Gri-John sitch’ saying, “[We] are aware of the episode and are currently seeking more information.” Which to me translates to: yea we know but it’s two women so…eh, let’s see how much the public cares before we make a move. Which I suppose is a way to go—no point in meting out swift justice if the public is unbothered right?
Unless there is video.
If there is any footage of Griner’s 6’8” frame putting hands on Johnson (who stands only at 6’3) then things may get dicey.
In my humble opinion, I don’t believe this will turn in to much since organized sports is still not comfortable with same sex relationships and there is a double standard when it comes to female on female violence. Hopefully these two have learned a lesson because next time they may not be spared the scandal and fallout.
UPDATE:
WNBA president Laurel Richie announced Friday that Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson will be suspended for seven games without pay. The pair were both arrested on misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct charges at their Phoenix home in April.
Griner and Johnson, were married shortly after the incident, have been mandated to take individual counseling sessions.
As Nina Mandell of USA Today reports,  “the incident began when Johnson pushed Griner in the shoulder and Griner pushed Johnson in the back of the neck. ‘The confrontation escalated to include wrestling, punches, and the throwing and swinging of various objects, according to Richie’s statement. [Griner] received a bite wound on her finger and scratches on her wrist, and Glory received a scratch above her lip and was diagnosed with a concussion.”
Griner has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charges  and was ordered to complete over six months of domestic violence counseling. Johnson’s case is still awaiting resolution.