Sophie Cunningham breaks silence on ‘hate piece’ after Candace Buckner’s controversial Indiana Fever column

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has pushed back against criticism of her views on transgender athletes in women's sports after a columnist urged the team to move on from her. The debate drew fresh attention after Fox News hosts Kat Timpf and Kennedy discussed the issue with Ainsley Earhardt on October 8. The panel also spoke about public support for Cunningham's position and previewed a new episode of their podcast, the Girls. Cunningham later responded directly to the criticism, making it clear she would not let others decide what she could say.Sophie Cunningham Responds After The Athletic Columnist Candace Buckner Calls for the Indiana Fever to Move OnThe dispute followed an October 6 column by Candace Buckner of The Athletic, a sports publication owned by The New York Times. Buckner argued that the Indiana Fever should part ways with Cunningham because the attention around her public views had become a distraction for the team.Cunningham has spoken against transgender women competing in women's sports. She has said she wants to protect young girls while making clear that her position does not mean she hates transgender people. Her comments have drawn both support and criticism, turning the Fever guard into a major talking point beyond basketball.In her column, Buckner described Cunningham as "too combustible" and argued that her views brought further division to a team already dealing with intense attention around star guard Caitlin Clark.The column also questioned whether keeping Cunningham was worth the attention surrounding her. Buckner's argument focused on the effect of the controversy on the Fever, rather than simply on Cunningham's basketball skills.The criticism did not go unanswered. On the October 10 episode of No Hesitation with Sophie Cunningham & Drew Hanlen, Cunningham addressed the column and made it clear she was not worried about what critics thought of her."That’s why I literally don’t even care what anyone says about me anymore," Cunningham said. "Because I’ve said this so many times, is if you’re going to live by the praise, you’re going to die by the hate."Her co-host, Drew Hanlen, also defended her and called the article an "absolute hate piece." He argued that Cunningham's value to the team should be judged through basketball, not just the arguments surrounding her public comments.Kat Timpf and Kennedy Discuss Sophie Cunningham's Views on Fox NewsFox News also discussed the dispute in a video published on October 8. Kat Timpf and Kennedy joined Ainsley Earhardt to talk about Cunningham's views and the call for the Fever to part ways with her.According to the video's description, the discussion included a claim that 80% of the country agrees with Cunningham's position. However, the description did not name a poll or provide details about how that figure was measured. It should therefore be treated as a claim made in the coverage, not as a fully verified finding.The segment also previewed a new episode of the Girls, which covers political disagreements within families. That topic connects with the wider debate around Cunningham, whose views have drawn support from some people and criticism from others.Cunningham has continued to defend her right to speak openly. In her response to the column, she also questioned the criticism of her value as a player."No matter what anyone says to me, I’m going to continue to do me. I know what I bring to the table. It’s not always in the stat sheet," she said, according to OutKick.The dispute now involves more than one player's opinion. It has also raised questions about whether a team's decision to keep a player should depend on her public views, her performance on the court or both.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.