The National Basketball Association announced recently that it has already taken the next step to force Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling from his ownership of the sports team franchise with a charge. The charge will provide Sterling an opportunity to respond by May 27 and make and appearance to present at a special board of governors' meeting about his case, based on the NBA constitution. Yahoo Sports said that Sterling's hearing has been already set for June 3 and will be presided by Glen taylor, NBA's Board of Governors chairman and Minnesota Timberwolves owner.
The sports league have said in a statement that Sterling's ownership interest in the Clippers franchise will be terminated if the required 75% vote of the 29 members of the board has been met. Should it happen, Clippers will now be open for sale to new owners.
The NBA added, "Mr. Sterling's actions and positions significantly undermine the NBA's efforts to promote diversity and inclusion; damage the NBA's relationship with its fans; harm NBA owners, players and Clippers team personnel; and impair the NBA's relationship with marketing and merchandising partners, as well as with government and community leaders. Mr. Sterling engaged in other misconduct as well, including issuing a false and misleading press statement about this matter. All of these acts provide grounds for termination under several provisions of the NBA constitution and related agreements."
Sterling has already been banned by the NBA for life, and was imposed with a $2.5 million fine. Through his lawyer, Sterling said in a later interview with CNN that he will fight any attempt to force him out of the ownership of the sports team, and expressed his intention to not pay the fine. Sterling's wife, Shelly, had also insisted that she remain to be an owner of the franchise, but NBA said that her stake will also be terminated should the required vote from the governors' board has been achieved, Yahoo Sports said.
