The Women's National Basketball League has fined the Canberra Capitals $2500 after coach Paul Goriss and players reacted angrily after forward Kelsey Griffin had her head split open against Perth.
Griffin needed stitches to close a gash after she was elbowed by Perth import Asia Taylor during a fractious round eight clash on Friday.
Goriss was irate following the 88-84 defeat likening the contest to a football code.
"It's not rugby we play over here ... that's brutal when someone has blood bleeding from their head from an errant elbow and it's not stopped," he said.
"It happened last time and it continues to happen. No-one does anything about it.
"To me it's up to the league to step in and do something about it. I've had my say several times. It falls on deaf ears. People continue to get away with how they play."
However, after reviewing video of the incident the WNBL determined the contact was incidental.
"The league have concluded that in this specific incident the contact was incidental and deemed an unfortunate occurrence that can take place within the game of basketball," the WNBL statement read.
The organisation said Goriss had made "inflammatory comments" and fined the Capitals, who have three days to appeal.
"These comments are considered to be prejudicial to the interests and reputation of the WNBL, the Perth Lynx WNBL team and their athletes," the statement said.
