Toronto Tempo Coach Sandy Brondello Suspended 1 Game After Inappropriate Comment

Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello was suspended for one game by the WNBA after using an inappropriate phrase during a game against the Atlanta Dream on Friday. The league announced the punishment on Saturday. Because of the suspension, Brondello had to sit out Monday's game against the Las Vegas Aces. The WNBA said in a statement that all coaches and team staff must show professionalism and respect at all times.

The incident happened during a 111-92 loss to the Dream. Toronto player Nyara Sabally was injured after making contact with Atlanta's Angel Reese. Officials called a foul on Sabally, and a TV broadcast microphone picked up Brondello calling Reese a 'protected species.' Many people found that phrase deeply offensive and hurtful.

Brondello posted an apology on social media the next day. She said she used the phrase 'in the emotion of the moment' after Sabally's injury and that she takes full responsibility for her words. She explained that her real frustration was with the referees, but that her comment unfairly put the attention on Reese instead of the officiating.

Reese responded on social media shortly after the game by posting 'ARE WE SURPRISED?!' and tagging Brondello's account, then adding a clown face emoji. Her reaction made it clear she was not shocked by what had happened. The post drew a lot of attention from fans and other players around the league.

Brondello went further in her apology, saying she understood her words hurt people beyond just Reese. She specifically said sorry to Black women in the league and noted she has spent her whole career working alongside and learning from incredible Black women. She also apologized directly to Reese, her teammates, and the entire Dream organization.

Part of the story involves a difference in language between countries. Brondello is Australian, and in Australian sports, 'protected species' simply means a player who seems to avoid getting foul calls from referees. However, in the United States, that phrase can suggest a person is not fully human, which makes it a hurtful thing to say, especially toward a Black person.

Brondello has been a head coach in the WNBA since 2014 and has won championship titles with the Phoenix Mercury and the New York Liberty. This season is her first with the Tempo, who are a brand-new expansion team in the league. The situation drew attention to how words can mean very different things in different cultures, and how those differences can still cause real harm.