$2bn LA Clippers sale greenlighted after US supreme court landmark case
The $2bn sale of American basketball team, the LA Clippers, is to commence now that owner Donald Sterling’s estranged wife has won a landmark court case against her shamed husband.
Sterling has vowed to appeal the decision (AP)
The trial arose after Sterling was banned for life from the NBA after being recorded disparaging black people - telling his partner not to associate with them despite a majority of NBA players being black.
After the ban, Sterling’s estranged wife Shelly agreed to sell the club to to Steve Balmer, CEO of Microsoft, for $2bn but the deal was blocked by Sterling.
The court gave Mrs Sterling full control of the family trust that owns the Clippers, after the court ruled her husband unfit to run it after doctors diagnosed him with early stage Alzheimers.
Michael Levanas, the Los Angeles superior court judge overseeing the case said Shelly Sterling’s agreement to sell the club was permissible regardless of Mr Sterling's misgivings.
Judge Levanas said Mr Sterling’s ban from the sport gave Shelly Sterling “every good reason to believe that [he] agreed to the sale of the team".
Additionally, the judge challenged Mr Sterling's “often evasive and inconsistent” testimony during the nine-day trial.
Mr Sterling’s attorney issued a desire to appeal the decision: “He doesn't see this as the final battleground.
"This is one stage of a long war."