Los Angeles Clippers Owner Donald Sterling Banned for Life, fined $2.5 million by NBA Over Racist Comments

National Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday handed down one of the harshest penalties in the history of U.S. sports Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for making racist comments that hurt the league.

 Donald Sterling, pictured with female girlfriend V. Stiviano in 2010 Photo: AP

Sterling, 80, is banned for life from any association with the league or the Clippers and was fined $2.5 million the maximum allowable under the NBA constitution.

Silver also called on NBA owners to force the Los Angeles Clippers owner to sell the team and acccording to CBC News, almost unanimously, owners supported the commissioner.

If three-fourths of the other 29 owners agree to Silver's recommendation, Sterling will be forced to sell the team he has owned since 1981.

[RELATED: "Don’t Bring Black People to My Games … Including Magic Johnson" - LA Clippers Owner Donald Sterling Tells Girlfriend]

"We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling's views. They simply have no place in the NBA," Silver said at a media conference.

Silver expressed outrage at Tuesday's media gathering.

"I fully expect to get the support I need from the other NBA owners to remove him," Silver said of Sterling.