LA Clippers President Andy Roeser Leaves Team

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced that Los Angeles Clippers President Andy Roeser will be taking an indefinite leave of absence, effective immediately.

The news came three days after the NBA announced that it would appoint a new chief executive to oversee the day-to-day operations of the club in the wake of the racism scandal that led to a life ban being imposed on owner Donald Sterling.

Mike Bass, Executive Vice President, Communications, said, “This will provide an opportunity for a new CEO to begin on a clean slate and for the team to stabilize under difficult circumstances.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling, the longest-tenured NBA team owner, for life after racist remarks he made in a private conversation with a girlfriend were made public.

Sterling said he didn’t want his girlfriend bringing black people to Clippers games or posting photographs of herself on social media with black people.

The result of the comments was a backlash leading the Clippers players to wear their uniforms inside out in a pre-game warm-up before Silver banned Sterling and fined the 80-year-old billionaire $US2.5 million, the maximum allowed under league rules.

NBA owners have also started the process of setting up a vote to strip the team from Sterling, a move that could push him to sell the Clippers, who are likely to attract bids of more than $US600 million, or take the NBA to court in a legal fight that could be bitter and lengthy.