Well done the NBA: http://www1.skysports.com/basketbal...lippers-owner-donald-sterling-banned-for-life Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been banned for life and heavily fined by the National Basketball Association (NBA) over racist comments he made. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told a news conference that Sterling was fined $2.5m and suspended from the league for life in the wake of his rant - in which he told his girlfriend he did not want her to bring black friends to Clippers games. Sterlings's comments have triggered outrage in the United States with NBA stars and President Barack Obama condemning them. "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." Adam Silver 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. "We stand together in condemning Mr Sterling's views. They simply have no place in the NBA." Silver said Sterling had admitted it was his voice in the recording, which was posted on the website TMZ over the weekend. 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 going forward. "This league is far bigger than any one owner, any one coach and any one player," Silver said. Silver said he will urge the NBA owners to exercise their authority to force Sterling to sell the team, which is valued by Forbes magazine at $575 million. Sterling bought the club in 1981 for $12 million. Sterling's ban has been welcomed by NBA stars past and present. Magic Johnson was at the centre of Sterling's original comments to his girlfriend as she has posted a photograph of herself with the NBA legend. "Commissioner Silver showed great leadership in banning LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life," he tweeted. "Current and former NBA players now know that in Commissioner Adam Silver we have a great leader leading our league." Miami Heat star man LeBron James tweeted: "Commissioner Silver thank you for protecting our beautiful and powerful league!! Great leader!! #BiggerThanBasketball #StriveForGreatness." Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban added: "I agree 100% with Commissioner Silvers findings and the actions taken against Donald Sterling." 2.5 million dollar fine and a lifetime ban makes the fines handed out by FIFA and UEFA look ever more ridiculous.....
Well done the NBA. Sterling has a long history as a racist slum landlord. As an aside a big up to Dani Alves for how he dealt with the banana incident and all the publicity his action has created.
I couldn't tell from the article how long it took the NBA Commissioners to decide this. But I'm willing to bet it was a bloody sight faster than the ditherers at the FA and FIFA take, as well as being a proper punishment. Great example set.
This is ridiculous, how can someone be punished for saying something in his own home? We could all be in trouble. I admit the guys is a complete rsshole but this is going way too far.
At some level I agree with QPRNY (silly name). The result of the fast investigation by the NBA goes to show that we live in a society where: 1. All your "business", personal, private and work, is subject to scrutiny because you can't trust anybody with your secrets; and 2. White people are always wrong. Black people can hate whites all they want, but white people can't say a single disparaging word about them, either directly or indirectly. I guess you can't blame the Commissioner. The league is almost exclusively black players. Can you imagine the black player outrage if he dared not to drop the ban hammer on Mr. Sterling? A strike? One former NBA player, Larry Johnson, suggested that the players form a black owned league and in the past likened the NBA players to slaves. Until there is a more diverse ownership group, that issue isn't going to go away.
His own team were protesting against him on Sunday, I think the NBA were under pressure. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-27183700 Apparently they had also considered (and discussed with their opponents) lining up for the game, shaking hands and then just walking off. The AC Milan team walked off after racist abuse from the crowd against one player last year (only a friendly I think) and now we have the Alves thing. Long way to go yet.
I wonder if the NBA will ban and fine one of their players for stating its a black league? Somehow I don't think so. Incidentally a mate did the exact same thing as valves when a twat chucked a burger still in his carton at him and called him a "Taliban ****er", he caught it and took a bite and thanked the bloke which wound him up even more.
To throw a banana at a black man is considered far worse than a group of blacks throwing bricks at a white man. Equality my arse
I honestly hope this is a wind up? I dont really know where to start ! Oh dear, This isnt going to end well Im outta this one for so many reasons Good luck
Not sure what the relevance is with It glitch and the OP I had the same thing at LAX last time i went through USA to London. Whole of Homeland security computer was down.apparently. Sat areound in immigration for nearly 2 hours. That was back in 2007.
You're out of order there mate. That's not the first time you've chucked that one out over the last week. Of course Andy will now be blamed for Imaz' usual lack of self control
Nothing to do with anything really but as imaz likes posting links which have nothing to do with the thred I thought I join in, after all that must be what happens in Europe!
Oh OK mate, I didnt mean it as an insult or anything. I just honestly didnt see the link between the two Alll good, They are an odd bunch those Europeans..........
Just heard on the news that 'some delays were over an hour'. In my experience that is pretty normal, glancing across at the 'non EU visitors' queues at Heathrow as I use the biometric scanning lane (actually just a bloke trying to look at 3 channels at once through a PC). And its pretty normal for non US citizens/ residents entering the States as well - I have had nightmare experiences at JFK, Washington, Chicago, Philly (the worst) and Newark. I always leave at least 2 hours between landing and the onward internal flight and have missed the latter a couple of times because of Immigration queues. So I try to fly via Charlotte, Detroit or especially Toronto (clear US immigration there) where the experience is much nicer. I think the deciding factor is how many international fights have landed in a short period. I have also walked straight through Immigration at all of these airports except Philly, which is always ****. Sadly the US Global Entry (biometric fast track) service is not easily available to UK citizens (unlike the Dutch, Germans, South Koreans, Qataris and, er Mexicans). Japan can be slow but is always polite. India can be very bureaucratic. Australia pretty straightforward, in my experience.
