NAACP president blasts 'shameful' punishment of Robert Sarver

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC

NAACP president blasts 'shameful' punishment of Suns, Mercury owner Robert Sarver

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 9/14/22

On Tuesday, the NBA announced that Robert Sarver, owner of the NBA's Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, had been suspended for one year and fined $10 million as a result of an investigation launched last fall regarding allegations of racism and misogyny made against Sarver.

Derrick Johnson, the president of the NAACP, is clearly displeased with the league's reaction to its findings.

"The NBA's response is shameful," Johnson said in an official statement. "Fining a Billionaire $10M is nothing but a speeding ticket. They have failed to adequately address this man's history of racism, sexism, and his years-long nourishment of a toxic culture. The fact that the NBA would hand down this so-called 'punishment' in the same year we lost a legend like Bill Russell, who fought racism his entire life, only underscores how prevalent racism still is today. The punishment doesn't fit the crime whatsoever, and the NBA must do better than this. This is far from accountability."

According to TMZ Sports, a fine of $10 million is the largest allowed per NBA bylaws.

ESPN's Baxter Holmes notes that the Association's investigation found that Sarver used the N-word multiple times "when recounting the statements of others." There were also "instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees" that included "sex-related comments" and comments about the appearances of employees.

The official NAACP Twitter account addressed the league's punishment on Wednesday morning:

So remind us again why a $10 million fine and a 1 year suspension is really teaching anyone a lesson with as extensive a track record of just not caring what anyone thinks or fearing what the consequences of those actions are?

This punishment is a JOKE! https://t.co/8WJN2G86bf
— NAACP (@NAACP) September 14, 2022

Throughout the suspension, Sarver is barred from all NBA and WNBA team facilities and offices. He cannot attend any games, events, or practices related to those leagues, represent the leagues' teams "in any capacity," or have any involvement in the day-to-day operations of the Suns and Mercury.

Sarver must also finish a training program focused on learning about respect and appropriate conduct in the workplace.

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