MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A crowd of critics and supporters of Indiana guard Sophie Cunningham's stance on transgender participation in women’s sports gathered around and inside Target Center on Sunday as the Fever faced the Lynx in Minnesota.
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wore a light blue shirt under her jacket that said, “Trans kids belong” as she directed her team — the top team in the WNBA — to a 108-100 win over the Fever. There were fans in the stands wearing T-shirts that read, “Trans kids belong in sports.”
It's the third straight Fever game that drew a rally after Cunningham recently voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports in an ESPN article published last week.
Before the contest, Cunningham and Reeve held a conversation at midcourt. Reeve didn't want to share the exact nature of their talk.
“Both of us understand that we have platforms and we both talked about wanting to, more than anything, educate,” Reeve said. “There are some things that we have in common, and maybe some things you differ on, just like any issues. I think it’s how you handle things. It was nice to be in person, for sure.”
Cunningham was booed by the crowd on her first touch of the game and throughout.
Outside the arena, dozens of fans gathered near the entrance. A person using a loud speaker repeated over and over, “Protect trans women.” There were signs held up that read, “Love is truth" and “Thank you Sophie.”
Asked how she and the team are navigating the outside conversations, Caitlin Clark said after the game, “I think we’re excellent.
“I think it’s for leagues and governing bodies to work with their athletes to find solutions,” Clark said. “Our focus is on basketball. That’s what we talk about and how we can get wins and obviously we didn’t do that tonight. So we need to find an area to improve in that way.”
Any reaction?
“I just answered,” Clark said.
Cunningham said Friday in Portland that she wasn't concerned about rallies against transgender participation in women’s sports becoming a distraction for the Fever.
“I think everyone who knows me personally, they know that I’m full of love. I’m bubbly. I love the people around me,” Cunningham said Friday. “I love basketball. I love inspiring the next generation and doing that in a positive light. And so that doesn’t even cross my mind. Doesn’t cross my teammates’ minds.”
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve watches play during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve points during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Fans wear shirts saying "Trans Kids Belong In Sports" during a WNBA basketball game between the Minnesota Lynx and the Indiana Fever Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who made history with Cape Verde at the recently concluded World Cup, arrived in Chile on Sunday to join Colo Colo after a series of twists and turns that put his move in doubt.
“I’m very happy to be here. And I want to thank the fans for the patience they’ve shown while waiting for me,” the Cape Verde star told reporters in Chile. “See you at the Monumental Stadium.” That is Colo Colo’s home ground in Santiago.
Colo Colo, Chile’s most successful soccer club, announced the signing of Josimar Évora Dias, better known as Vozinha, on July 24. However, a series of setbacks — including documentation issues and personal matters — delayed his arrival on three separate occasions, causing concern both within and outside the club.
At last, he arrived at Santiago’s airport at 8:35 p.m. local time and was welcomed by a huge crowd of supporters who gathered at the terminal with flags, banners, drums, and chants.
Vozinha became the oldest player to appear in a national team's debut game at the World Cup and was widely celebrated for keeping eventual champion Span scoreless.
Colo Colo supporters share one dream: that Vozinha will help the runaway leaders of the Chilean league win the championship and enhance its continental ambitions for next season.
“I’m excited. And if Colo Colo wins the title, next year comes the Copa Libertadores, which makes everything even more exciting for all of Chile and South America,” Marcos Antonio Barrera, a 32-year-old club supporter, told The Associated Press.
The World Cup’s breakout goalkeeper is scheduled to undergo medical examinations on Monday before officially signing his contract with Colo Colo. The initial deal will run for six months, with an option to extend it for another 12.
Colo Colo said Vozinha is expected to join training on Tuesday. The club also plans to officially present its marquee signing for the remainder of the season that same day.
The veteran goalkeeper will be allowed to wear the nickname that brought him worldwide fame on his jersey after the Chilean Football Federation unanimously decided on Friday to amend its regulations and allow him to be identified as Vozinha — “grandma” in Portuguese. The change was necessary because, under Chilean league rules, players are required to use only their surnames on the back of their jerseys.
Vozinha arrives in Chile after ending his spell with Chaves in Portugal’s second division. He became one of the standout figures of the World Cup thanks to a string of spectacular saves against powerhouses Spain, Uruguay, and Lionel Messi’s Argentina, which ultimately eliminated Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
His performances brought him meteoric fame not only on the field. Before the World Cup, he had fewer than 50,000 followers on Instagram; he now has more than 29.5 million.
“The Colo Colo family and all of Chile are eagerly waiting,” fan Sebastián Paredes said. “Now he has to earn his place at Colo Colo through talent, dedication, hard work, commitment, and by winning over the fans. Hopefully, he’ll be a great signing and help put Chile on the map.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha arrives at the airport ahead of a move to Colo-Colo in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha arrives at the airport ahead of a move to Colo-Colo in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
