American sports columnist Gregg Doyel has been suspended by the Indianapolis Star following his viral encounter with women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark.

According to Indianapolis sports columnist Bob Kravitz, Doyel has been suspended for two weeks and will not be eligible to attend any of Clark’s rookie games.

Doyel has been granted permission to report on Clark’s games, however, he must watch them on TV.

The report did not specify if the suspension is paid or unpaid.

Clark’s introductory WNBA press conference has gone viral after the star’s uncomfortable encounter with a reporter.

The 22-year-old was taken first by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Draft last month, with the college superstar expected to have a transformational impact on the future of women’s professional basketball.

Clark broke the record for the most career points by a college player, male or female, this season with the Iowa Hawkeyes, falling just short of winning an NCAA title.

During the press conference held on April 17, Clark was at the centre of an awkward question-and-answer with Doyel.

The bizarre riff unsettled a number of people in the basketball sphere, journalists and media members, including Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who labelled the reporter as a “pervert”.

Indianapolis Star reporter Doyel began his interaction with Clark by saying: “Real quick, let me do this,” before gesturing a heart with his hands according to reporters covering the press conference.

The gesture is a signature move of Clark, known to be used on the court as a signal to her family after her college games.

“You like that?” Clark replied.

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

“Yeah, I do that at my family after every game,” Clarke said in response to the hand gesture.

Doyel responded: “Start doing it to me and we’ll get along just fine.”

Portnoy took to X to clear up his re-share of the awkward interaction, saying: “To clarify I meant to call Gregg Doyel a sexist pervert. Which he is based on his nauseating actions today.”

CBS Sports reporter Katie Mox joined the conversation on X, writing: “What happened to Caitlin Clark today at her first press conference in Indy was really gross. I hope she gets an apology.”

Doyel responded to the backlash on X, apologising to the star for his uncomfortable comments.

“Today in my uniquely oafish way, while welcoming @CaitlinClark22 to Indy, I formed my hands into her signature,” Doyel began.

“My comment afterward was clumsy and awkward. I sincerely apologise. Please know my heart (literally and figuratively) was well-intentioned. I will do better.”

The reporter later released a column apologising to Clark, declaring that “Today he was part of the problem.”

“Caitlin Clark, I’m so sorry. Today I was part of the problem. What I’ve learned is that I need to be more aware about how I talk to people – not just athletes. You can say that’s absurd, that I should’ve known better, and I do.

“But here we are. I was just doing what I do, talking to another athlete, another person, and didn’t see the line – didn’t event know there was a line in the vicinity until I crossed it.”