Phoenix Suns Minority Owner Calls For Robert Sarver's Resignation
On September 13, the NBA announced that Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver had been fined $10 million and suspended for an entire year as a result of an investigation into the Suns franchise. This investigation began following a story published by ESPN that outlined allegations of racism and misogyny during Sarver’s 17 years as the team’s owner.
The league stated that in its investigation, they found that Sarver “engaged in conduct that clearly violated common workplace standards, as reflected in team and League rules and policies.” The statement released by the NBA went on to say that Robert Sarver used racially insensitive language and mistreated female employees, as well as making sexual related statements and conduct.
Following the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury joint-statement, many have been giving their opinions on the matter and whether or not Sarver should still be in a leadership position at all in the NBA, including the Suns minority owner Jahm Najafi.
On Thursday evening, Najafi, who is the team’s vice chairman, put out an “open letter” to the players and employees of the Suns.
Najafi made it very clear that there should be “zero tolerance” for discriminatory actions of any level in any workplace and as a result, called for Robert Sarver to resign from his position with the organization.
Najafi: “Similar conduct by any CEO, executive director, president, teacher, coach, or any other position of leadership would warrant immediate termination. The fact that Robert Sarver 'owns' the team does not give him a license to treat others differently than any other leader. The fact that anyone would find him fit to lead because of this 'ownership' position is forgetting that NBA teams belong to the communities they serve… I cannot in good judgment sit back and allow our children and future generations of fans to think that this behavior is tolerated because of wealth and privilege. Therefore, in accordance with my commitment to helping eradicate any form of racism, sexism and bias, as Vice Chairman of the Phoenix Suns, I am calling for the resignation of Robert Sarver.”
Najafi has been extremely critical of Sarver since the ESPN story first came out, calling these actions “unacceptable” if true when the allegations were first brought to light.
As for the NBA and the actions they took, commissioner Adam Silver spoke to the media the day after the league handed down punishment on the Suns owner and stated that he did not “have the right to take away his team.”
“I don't have the right to take away his team,” Silver said. “I don't want to rest on that legal point because of course there could be a process to take away someone's team in this league. It's very involved, and I ultimately made the decision that it didn't rise to that level. But, to me, the consequences are severe here on Mr. Sarver.”
Along with Najafi and others within the Suns organization, stars of the league have also spoken out about this matter, as LeBron James and Chris Paul both voiced their opinions on Robert Sarver.
While he has been suspended and has received a very hefty fine for his actions, the feeling around the NBA and the sports world in general is that nobody can begin to forgive Robert Sarver until he steps down from his position with the Suns.
Whether or not the Suns owner will step down or if the NBA will get further involved on this matter and possibly ban Sarver indefinitely is yet to be determined.
