_____________________________________________________
The following from: Sports IllustratedAdam Silver issues lifetime ban, $2.5M fine to Clippers owner Donald Sterling
by Ben Golliver
NBA
commissioner Adam Silver has imposed a lifetime ban and a maximum $2.5 million
fine on Clippers owner Donald Sterling for making racist comments in a taped
conversation.
After
promising Saturday to grant “due process” to Sterling and
to investigate the authenticity of the audio, Silver announced the punishment
at a news conference in New York on Tuesday.
“Effective
immediately, I am banning Mr. Sterling for life from any association with the
Clippers organization or the NBA,” Silver said. “Mr. Sterling may not attend
any NBA games or practices. He may not be present at any Clippers facility. He
may not participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the
team. He will also be barred from attending NBA Board of Governors meetings or
participating in any other league activity.”
Silver
also pledged to take steps to force Sterling to sell the Clippers, a move that
would require approval of three-quarters of the league’s owners.
“I
will urge the Board of Governors to exercise its authority to force the sale of
the team,” Silver said. “I will do everything in my power to ensure that that
happens. … I fully expect to get the support I need from the other NBA owners.”
TMZ
on Friday released audio of a conversation in which Sterling can be heard
scolding V. Stiviano, his girlfriend, for bringing African-Americans to
Clippers games and for posting photos of herself and African-Americans,
including Hall of Fame point guard Magic Johnson, to her Instagram account.
Silver
said the NBA was able to authenticate that it was Sterling’s voice on the tape
and that Sterling acknowledged that it was his voice during the investigation.
In a statement issued Saturday, Clippers president Andy Roeser had questioned
the legitimacy of the recording.
“The
central findings of the investigation are that the man whose voice is heard on
the recording, and on a second recording from the same conversation that was
released on Sunday, is Mr. Sterling, and that the hateful opinions voiced by
that man are those of Mr. Sterling,” Silver said. “The views expressed by Mr.
Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful. That they came from an NBA owner
only heightens the damage and my personal outrage. Sentiments of this kind are contrary
to the principles of inclusion and respect that form the foundation of our
diverse, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic league.”
Silver
apologized on behalf of the NBA for Sterling’s comments.
“I
am personally distraught that the views expressed by Mr. Sterling came from
within an institution that has historically taken such a leadership role in
matters of race relations and caused current and former players, coaches, fans
and partners of the NBA to question their very association with the league,” Silver
said. “To them, and pioneers of the game like Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper,
Sweetwater Clifton, the great Bill Russell and particularly Magic Johnson, I
apologize.”
Silver
said the $2.5 million fine was the “maximum amount allowed under the NBA
constitution.” The funds will be donated to organizations that promote
tolerance.
NBA
players and owners were among those who reacted quickly to Silver’s ruling.
“Commissioner
Silver thank you for protecting our beautiful and powerful league!! Great
leader!!” LeBron James tweeted.
Magic
praised Silver for his “great leadership” in disciplining Sterling.
“Former
and current NBA players are very happy and satisfied with Commissioner
Sterling’s ruling,” Johnson tweeted.
Bulls
owner Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement that “we will support [Silver's]
recommendation to press Mr. Sterling to relinquish his ownership of the Los
Angeles Clippers franchise.”
Tweeted
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban: “I agree 100% with Commissioner Silver’s findings
and the actions taken against Donald Sterling.”
Before
Tuesday’s press conference, at least 16 NBA owners had issued public statements against Sterling.
Late
Monday night, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, speaking as an adviser for the
National Basketball Players Association, called on Silver to suspend Sterling and assess the maximum
fine allowed.
President Barack Obama, NBA legends Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,
NBA stars James and Kobe Bryant and NBPA president Chris Paul have all
expressed their opposition to Sterling. The Clippers, Heat, Rockets and Trail Blazers all participated in silent protests against Sterling by wearing their warm-up shirts inside out or donning black socks during their recent playoff games. Multiple companies
announced Monday that they would suspend their corporate sponsorship agreements
with the Clippers. Clippers coach Doc Rivers said he won’t necessarily return
next season, even though he is under contract. Even Sterling’s wife, Rochelle, distanced herself from the comments.
The
Clippers will host the Warriors in Game 5 on Tuesday night at Staples Center.
The first-round series is tied 2-2.
No comments:
Post a Comment