NBA Team Owner Suspended for 1-Year following an investigation after claims of misconduct
Owner of NBA and WNBA teams the Pheonix Suns and Pheonix Mercury, Robert Sarver, was accused of misconduct which included reports of racism and misogynistic behavior. The NBA conducted an investigation into these claims and what they found was enough to suspend Sarver from the team for 1-year as well as a fine of $10 Million dollars. During the investigation, it was found that Sarver used the “N-Word” multiple times and made sexual references to female employees. A total of 320 individuals were interviewed in the investigation.
Some NBA fans question if this punishment was harsh enough for someone who was found guilty of this kind of behavior, especially considering the majority of players on the teams Sarver owns are black, and one of the teams is a team of women. In response to the league's decision, Sarver said, “I accept the consequences of the NBA’s decision. This moment is an opportunity for me to demonstrate a capacity to learn and grow as we continue to build a working culture where every employee feels comfortable and valued.” NBA fans are reacting to this news in different ways, with some fans comparing this incident to the lifetime ban of Donald Sterling upon being caught on audio making racist remarks in 2014. Sterling was forced to sell the team, leaving some fans to wonder if the same should have been done with Sarver.
