Robert Sarver fine $10 million and a one-year suspension for the Suns and Mercury
The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury managing partner Robert Sarver were suspended for a year by the NBA for racist and sexist actions. An investigation process examines the organization’s work environment. The league also charged a $10 million fine.
The NBA alleges that Sarver discriminated against female employees based on their appearance, made inappropriate sexual remarks to women, and engaged in hostile physical behavior with male employees on several occasions.
Additionally, Sarver treated employees harshly by shouting and swearing at them.
Holmes and Wojnarowski of ESPN claimed that Sarver was unaccepting of the notion that he deserved a one-year sentence and a $10 million punishment.
In a statement, Sarver refuted both claims and claimed that Watson is not a reputable source.
Holmes’ investigation was subsequently released on November 4, 2021. Holmes interviewed more than 70 present and former team members for the article, and they shared their accounts of the toxic and occasionally hostile workplace under Sarver. Holmes also claims that a former employee was physically assaulted by a male coworker away from the team facilities, prompting her to consider suicide. Many wondered how the NBA would respond.
Donald Sterling, the former governor of the Los Angeles Clippers, was permanently barred from the league in 2014 after he was captured on film using racial slurs. Following the revelation of a 2012 email in which he made racial remarks, Bruce Levenson lost his ownership interest in the Atlanta Hawks months later.
Due to the Suns’ protracted futility, Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post reported in 2017 that Sarver might be open to selling the team and that “the league would presumably be pretty delighted” if Sarver wanted to move on. Sarver refuted the information.
The following years saw an upturn in Phoenix’s on-court fortunes, and the team eventually made it to the NBA Finals in 2021.
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