Los Angeles Clippers owner banned for life by NBA over racist comments

The league came down heavily on the owner after even the US president Barack Obama weighed down on the issue.

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was also fined $2.5 million dollars by the league. Reuters

NEW YORK // Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been banned for life by the NBA in response to racist comments, the league said, he made in a recorded conversation.

Commissioner Adam Silver said he will try to force the controversial owner to sell his franchise. Sterling has also been fined US$2.5 million (Dh9.1m), and Silver made no effort to hide his outrage over the comments.

He said an investigation by the NBA found that the league’s longest-tenured owner was, in fact, the person on the audio tapes that were released over the weekend.

“We stand together in condemning Mr Sterling’s views,” Silver said. “They simply have no place in the NBA.”

Sterling acknowledged he was the man on the tape, Silver said.

Sterling is immediately barred from attending any NBA games or practices, be present at any Clippers office or facility, or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team. He also cannot participate in any league business.

“This league is far bigger than any one owner, any one coach and any one player,” Silver said.

The fine will be donated to organisations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly selected by the NBA and the Players Association, Silver said.

Sterling’s comments were released over the weekend by TMZ and Deadspin, and numerous NBA owners and players have condemned them. Even the US president Barack Obama weighed in on the crisis, the first of Silver’s brief tenure as commissioner.

Several sponsors either terminated or suspended their business dealings with the team on Monday, though individual deals that some of those companies have with Clippers stars such as Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will continue and were not affected.