The Women's National Basketball Association and its players' union announced Wednesday that they will continue to strengthen security measures following a meeting to discuss the recent increase in racist, hateful, and abusive messages directed at players.

The joint statement from the league and the Women's National Basketball Players Association came after a meeting between league leadership and members of the union's executive committee and the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee.

The union requested the meeting following an incident last June 24 when Phoenix Mercury forward Alissa Thomas grabbed the throat of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. Thomas later said she was subjected to online harassment.

The statement said: 'The conversation reaffirmed the importance of addressing issues early through proactive communication and strengthening the relationship between the league and the union. The league committed to continuing to enhance security resources and will work with the players' union to explore ways to collaborate with organizations that share our league's values and support our common priorities.'

The league suspended Thomas for just one game after classifying the incident as a 'clear foul,' while Fever coach Stephanie White criticized the referees for not calling a foul on the play.

Following these events, Clark condemned the abuse directed at players, coaches, and officials. Clark told reporters earlier this month: 'Harassment and hatred – none of that is acceptable. That applies to the opposing teams we play against, and it applies to my teammates and coaches.'

The league launched a player safety program last year after players expressed concerns that racial and gender-based abuse had become an unwanted consequence of the league's rapid growth in popularity.