The Indianapolis Star has suspended sports columnist Gregg Doyel after he went viral for an embarrassing interaction with Caitlin Clark at a press conference.

Doyel is suspended for two weeks, longtime Indianapolis sportswriter Bob Kravitz reported.

As additional punishment, Doyel will not go to Clark’s rookie games this season but will instead cover them for opinion stories by watching them on TV.

The report did not specify if the suspension is paid or unpaid.
The Indianapolis Star suspended Gregg Doyel for two weeks after his awkward interaction with Caitlin Clark.Instagram / Gregg Doyel
The Indianapolis Star is owned by USA Today’s parent company, Gannett.

The Indiana Fever selected Clark first overall in the WNBA Draft and on April 17 introduced her to the media.

At the presser, Doyel made the heart gesture with his hands at Clark, a motion she made toward her family during games while she played college basketball at Iowa.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark moves the ball upcourt against the Dallas Wings during the first half of a preseason WNBA basketball game in Arlington, Texas, Friday, May 3, 2024.AP
“You like that?” Clark responded.

“I like that you’re here, I like that you’re here,” Doyel said.

Clark explained that she made the gesture at her family, and Doyel responded, “Start doing it to me and we’ll get along just fine.”

Doyel has not filed a story since a Colts NFL Draft piece on April 29, missing Clark’s preseason debut as well as the Pacers vanquishing the Bucks in the first round of the NBA playoffs and the start of their series against the Knicks.

Shortly after the bizarre interaction with Clark, Doyel wrote an apology column.

“I now realize what I said and how I said it was wrong, wrong, wrong. I mean it was just wrong,” he concluded the column. “Caitlin Clark, I’m so sorry.”