Caitlin Clark (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)

The reporter who was widely criticized for his inappropriate comments to new Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark during her introductory press conference last month has been punished by the Indianapolis Star.

Gregg Doyel is in the middle of a two-week suspension by the paper, with the Star and its owners, Gannett, handing it out.

Doyel has also been banned from attending Fever games this year, though he will continue to write team columns by watching from television, according to Bob Kravitz.

The reporter made Caitlin Clark’s first Fever presser very uncomfortable when he unashamedly made a pass at her by making the “heart hands” gesture she made to her family and young fans during college to her.

“Hi Caitlin, Gregg Doyel Indy Star,” he said before performing the gesture.

“You like that?” she responded.

“I like that you’re here,” he remarked, making things very awkward

“I do it to my family after every game…pretty cool,” Clark explained.

“Do it to me, and we’ll get along just fine,” Doyel suggested.

Check out the exchange in the video below:

Gregg Doyel’s Suspension Was Supposed To Be Quiet

Doyel declined to comment when he was contacted on Tuesday, opting to skirt the issue and prepare for a visit to his son.

Sources note he will return to work next Monday.

The reporter last had a piece about the Indianapolis Colts published on April 29 and hasn’t written a single word since then.

The Star wanted to keep the suspension a secret, but that would have been hard to do given that he’s a lead columnist who just vanished after an awkward exchange with the most popular athlete in the nation, especially while the Indiana Pacers are playing in the second round of the NBA playoffs.