LA Clippers owner under investigation for racism

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is under investigation by the NBA for allegedly making racist comments.

A 10-minute taped audio conversation between Sterling and his girlfriend was posted on celebrity news site TMZ.com Friday where Sterling allegedly told his girlfriend not to post photographs of herself with black people and not to bring African-Americans to Clippers' games. The recording was widely criticised, reports Xinhua.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Saturday that the league will start determining the authenticity of the recording and its context as quickly as possible. Sterling has agreed not to attend his team's playoff game Sunday against the Golden State Warriors. If the taped content is true, the commissioner said a range of sanctions were possible.

In 2009, Sterling paid $2.7 million to settle a case brought by the United States Justice Department which accused him of housing discrimination against blacks and Hispanics.