NBA bans LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life over racist comments
- NBA commissioner Adam Silver announces sanctions
- Sterling given $2.5m fine and banned for life
- theguardian.com, Tuesday 29 April 2014 14.19 EDT
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, sanctioned by the NBA on Tuesday. Photograph: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
The National Basketball Association on Tuesday imposed a lifetime
ban on Donald Sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, in a set
of sanctions for racist comments that may also compel him to sell the team.
The
NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, said at a news conference in New York
that an inquiry had determined Sterling had expressed the “hateful
opinions” heard on a leaked recording, which he said were “contrary to
the principles of inclusion and respect” on which the league was based.
As
well as the ban, Sterling was fined $2.5m, the maximum allowed under
the NBA's constitution, and Silver said he would now press the NBA's
governing body to force Sterling to sell the team. “The views expressed
by Mr Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful,” said Silver. “That
they came from an NBA owner only heightens the damage and my personal
outrage.”
Silver said the NBA had established that Sterling's
voice was on the tape. “Effective immediately, I am banning Mr Sterling
for life from any association with the Clippers organisation or the
NBA,” said Silver.
The ban will mean that Sterling is barred from
attending any Clippers games, practices or official functions on behalf
of the team. He is also barred from participating in any business or
player decisions relating to the team.
Silver said that he would
also do everything in his power to force Sterling to sell the Clippers.
Doing so would require approval by a vote of three quarters of
Sterling’s fellow NBA owners, the commissioner said. Silver said he
“fully expected” to receive enough support to force Sterling to sell the
Clippers.
A recording released by TMZ
late on Friday featured Sterling telling his mistress, V Stiviano, who
frequently accompanies him at the Staples Center, to stop bringing black
guests to Clippers games. He also complained about her posing with
black people in Instagram posts.
The publication of the recording prompted a furious response from players and several owners of other NBA teams. Even Barack Obama was drawn into the row during a visit to Malaysia. The president described the remarks as “incredibly offensive”.
Kevin
Johnson, the mayor of Sacramento and an adviser to the National
Basketball Players Association, said earlier on Tuesday that the
players’ union had urged Silver to inflict “the most severe sanctions
possible” on Sterling.
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