NBA investigates if Clippers owner made ‘racist comments’

The NBA is investigating an audio recording posted online of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling allegedly telling his girlfriend not to post photographs of herself with black people and not to bring African-Americans to Clippers games, league officials said.

The 10-minute recording was published on the celebrity news website TMZ.com, which described it as a taped conversation between the billionaire Sterling and a model who goes by the name V. Stiviano.

"The audio recording posted by TMZ is truly offensive and disturbing, and we intend to get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said at a news conference last night.

US president Barack Obama said today that comments were "incredibly offensive racist statements."

"When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance you don't really have to do anything, you just let them talk," Mr Obama said when asked about the controversy during a news conference in Kuala Lumpur.

He said he was confident Mr Silver would deal with the issue. “Obviously the NBA is a league that is beloved by fans across the country,” Mr Obama said. “It’s got an awful lot of African American players steeped in African American culture.”

The recording was sharply criticised by civil rights leaders, fans and players.

Clippers all-star player Chris Paul called the tape "a very serious issue," and the Miami Heat's LeBron James was quoted as saying there was "no room for Donald Sterling in our league."

It was not immediately clear when and how the conversation was recorded.

Mr Silver said the league would move swiftly to determine the authenticity of the recording and its context. Sterling has agreed not to attend his team's playoff game today against the Golden State Warriors, Mr Silver said.

The commissioner said a range of sanctions was possible but declined to predict the outcome of the investigation, saying Sterling should be given a chance to present his side.

Clippers president Andy Roeser issued a statement saying the organisation had listened to the tape on TMZ.

“We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered. We do know that the woman on the tape - who we believe released it to TMZ - is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family,” the statement said.

“Mr Sterling is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings.”

The tape appears to be linked to an argument over photos Stiviano posted to the social networking website Instagram.

“People call you and tell you that I have black people on my Instagram. And it bothers you,” Stiviano says, according to a version of the tape published by TMZ. In the tape, Stiviano says she herself is of Latino and black heritage.

“Yeah, it bothers me a lot that you want to promo ... broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?” Sterling says on the tape, according to TMZ.

Sterling also is allegedly heard telling her not to post photos of herself with Earvin "Magic" Johnson. "And don't bring him to my games, OK?"

Johnson, an NBA Hall of Famer who led the Los Angeles Lakers to five championships in the 1980s, said in a Twitter post that Sterling's comments are "a black eye for the NBA."

Sterling is “upset and apologises” for the sentiments attributed to him about Johnson, the Clippers’ statement said.

“He has long considered Magic a friend and has only the utmost respect and admiration for him - both in terms of who he is and what he has achieved,” it said.

Sterling, who made his fortune in real estate, has faced allegations of discriminatory conduct in the past. In 2009, he paid $2.7 million to settle a case brought by the US Justice Department which accused him of housing discrimination against blacks and Hispanics.

Paul, who in addition to playing point guard for the Clippers is also president of the NBA Players Association, said the team’s players need to focus on their playoff series. But he also expressed concern over the tape.

"On behalf of the National Basketball Players Association, this is a very serious issue which we will address aggressively," Paul said.

Reuters