'I’m not a racist,' says apologetic Donald Sterling
Banned Clippers owner says years of good behaviour should count towards his future
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has apologised for racist comments captured on tape, saying they were a “terrible mistake”.
“I’m not a racist,” Sterling told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in excerpts posted from an interview taped on Sunday and set to air on Monday. “I made a terrible mistake. I’m here to apologise.”
Am I entitled to one mistake, am I after 35 years? I mean, I love my league, I love my partners. It’s a terrible mistake, and I’ll never do it again
In his first public comments since being banned for life from the NBA, Sterling said years of good behaviour as an owner should count towards his future.
“I’m a good member who made a mistake,” Sterling said. “Am I entitled to one mistake, am I after 35 years? I mean, I love my league, I love my partners. Am I entitled to one mistake? It’s a terrible mistake, and I’ll never do it again.”
The interview came nearly two weeks after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling, fined him US$2.5 million and urged the other league owners to force him to sell the team.
Sterling said he waited to make a public apology because he was “emotionally distraught”.
“The reason it’s hard for me, very hard for me, is that I’m wrong,” Sterling said. “I caused the problem. I don’t know how to correct it.”