NBA bans LA Clippers owner Sterling for life

NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life from any association with the team or the NBA for making racist comments.

A 10-minute taped audio conversation between Sterling and his girlfriend went viral Friday where Sterling allegedly told her not to post photographs of herself with black people and not to bring African-Americans to Clippers' games.

Silver fined Sterling $2.5 million Monday, the maximum amount allowed under the NBA Constitution. The money will be donated to organisations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly selected by the NBA and the Players Association.

As part of the lifetime ban, Sterling cannot attend any NBA game or practice, be present at any Clippers office or facility or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team. He will also be barred from attending NBA Board of Governors meetings and participating in any other league activity.

Silver also announced at a press conference in Manhattan that he will urge the Board of Governors to exercise its authority to force a sale of the team.

The discipline issued is based on the commissioner's conclusion that Sterling violated league rules through his expressions of offensive and hurtful views, the impact of which has been widely felt throughout the league.

In 2009, Sterling had also 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.