During a WNBA game on Saturday, August 8th, 2026, Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington delivered a hard foul on Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham, resulting in a bloody mouth for Cunningham. The foul, occurring with two minutes left in the first quarter of the Fever's 90-86 victory, was upgraded to a Flagrant 2, leading to Carrington's ejection from the game.

Sports Illustrated initially published a story titled "Sophie Cunningham Got a Bitter Taste of Karma After Drawing Flagrant Foul in Fever-Sky," linking the incident to a previous hard foul Cunningham committed during the 2025 WNBA season against Jacy Sheldon. This headline sparked immediate and intense reaction on social media, especially as Cunningham has been in the spotlight for her views opposing transgender athletes in women's sports.

The use of "karma" in the headline was seen by many as a pointed commentary, prompting Sports Illustrated to change the headline. Cunningham responded to the situation by acknowledging her own past foul, stating, "Last year I did the same thing, and I got kicked out, as I deserved to be kicked out. There’s no reason to even play that card."

The incident highlights ongoing tensions within the WNBA and broader sports community regarding player conduct and social issues.

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