*At least Brittney Griner of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and Glory Johnson on the Tulsa Shock will get to spend more down time together during their first year of marriage.
The newlyweds were suspended without pay for seven regular-season games each after they were both arrested on misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct charges at their Phoenix home in April, WNBA president Laurel Ritchie announced Friday.
Griner and Johnson, who were married shortly after the incident, will also be required to attend individual counseling sessions.
According to the WNBA’s investigation, 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 Ritchie’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 pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charges following the incident and was ordered to complete 26 weeks of domestic violence counseling. Johnson’s case is still pending.
After their arrest, Johnson took to her Instagram account to say that the couple was fine. “WE’RE OK! @brittneygriner and I are home, injury-free, and still wedding planning! We know we must set better examples, even during the most trying times, and we are EXTREMELY sorry for all the negative attention we brought to ourselves, our family, and the league. We are actively seeking help in order to do BETTER,” she wrote. “Thanks for all the Love, Support, and Prayers that were sent our way.”
Griner also apologized in a statement.
The incident came at a time when sports leagues around the country are reviewing their domestic violence policies following a series of high-profile incidents in the NFL. In the statement Ritchie said that she consulted with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on the issue as well as a variety of experts.
“We recognize that our league has an obligation and an opportunity to set an example for people around the world, and we will continue doing everything we can to ensure that situations such as this do not happen again,” she added.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
