A swift punishment, but is it a just one?

[a m playlist]

Some interesting takes, both in the main article, and in the comments below, on the Donald Sterling issue:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-echochambers-27214773

[Arginald Valleywater]

Pity UEFA and FIFA aren't as effective at dealing with things that damage a sports' repuatation and harm their income. Blatter would have tutted a couple of time then gone off to check whose bribes were overdue that day....

[Sam Slater]

The punishment is overly harsh as FIFA/UEFA penalties for racism are too lenient.

They're his private thoughts, expressed in private. If he'd said this stuff publically, I'd have been behind a ban, or large fine, but to do both, plus the attempted forced sale of his club is over the top.

Mike Tyson got much less punishment from the various boxing bodies for rape and biting off an opponents ear. You can't seriously compare what Tyson did to a racist venting his bigotry in private.

[cockneygeezer2009]

If you have read up on Sterling he has form for being racist/sexist. He bought the LA Clippers franchise for $13million and will have to sell it for about for about $300 million dollars. I don't think Sterling will be losing any sleep tonight.
Sterling's punishment was harsh due to the damage done to the NBA brand, sponsors, members of the public complaining and the president's comments.

Okay his private racist thoughts came out and were made public but if he didn't have racist type views nothing would have happened. If the NBA was run by Blatter he would of got a pat on the back.

[cockneygeezer2009]

"A swift punishment, but is it a just one?"

Taking everything into consideration. Yes. He will have to sell up but will make a nice fat juicy profit.

[Peter]

cockneygeezer2009 wrote:

> If you have read up on Sterling he has form for being
> racist/sexist. He bought the LA Clippers franchise for
> $13million and will have to sell it for about for about $300
> million dollars. I don't think Sterling will be losing any
> sleep tonight.

Wondered why a racist would buy into a basically black dominated sport. I guess he doesn't mind when there's a profit in it.

[Sam Slater]

I'll argue any racist/sexist till I'm blue in the face........and have done on here for years. But while I want them to change their minds, I realise they're free to have whatever thoughts they like.

You could reasonably argue this Sterling guy has been tried for thought crime. That's Orwellian in my book. Fair enough......all sporting bodies need to stamp out racism, and I agree that if he'd said those things in public, there should be heavy punishment, but I really don't think the punishment fits the crime, here.

Disgusting as racism is, rape and biting off someone's ear is far worse.

What's laughable about it is if one of those basketball players playing for the team had been charged and found guilty of rape, that player wouldn't get a lifetime ban. Upon release, if he had any talent at all, someone would snap him up.

As I say, I'm all for coming down hard on racism, but put in context with other things, and the fact it was said in private, I think the punishment is very harsh.

I'd like to find out what that club will now be worth given he might be forced to sell it. Surely the forced sale will drive down the price, which, on top of the fine and lifetime ban, you could say is destroying his livelihood, and all due to a private conversation.

[cockneygeezer2009]

"Surely the forced sale will drive down the price, which, on top of the fine and lifetime ban, you could say is destroying his livelihood, and all due to a private conversation."

Sterling is already a very rich man due to being a landowner and landlord. NBA franchises are worth a lot of money and whoever gets it will be guaranteed profits in the future even if the team loses. The LA Clippers franchise for Sterling is a hobby. Similar to Abramovich at Chelsea.

[Sam Slater]

So he's just lucky he's very rich then? Or is it only because he's rich he got such a punishment?

Fact is, a poorer owner would have had his livelihood took away from him with such a punishment. If he'd have got a much less punishment if he was poorer, then you're penalising him based on his wealth as much as his racism.

I think a large fine and a some sort of ban would have sufficed. A year.....maybe two. Just to make it known racism is something they take seriously (unlike FIFA and UEFA). But the punishment, as I said, is more than what he'd have got league had he been found guilty of rape.

There has to be some sensible, middle ground between this punishment and the laughable punishments FIFA hand out.

[cockneygeezer2009]

There is no such thing as a poor owner/s in the NBA. You need millions to buy a franchise to make even more millions. I honestly don't think Sterling is worried about any punishments handed out. The same punishment would be meted out to any owner. Doesn't matter what the punishment was somebody would have complained.

You need to contact the bloke who runs the NBA and ask him why the punishment is so harsh in your opinion.