America’s National Basketball Association (NBA) has decided to ban Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life, after a recording of racist comments he made about black people was released earlier this week.

Those comments provoked a firestorm of outrage, as a string of sponsors either suspended or withdrew their support for the team altogether, and public figures including US President Barack Obama joined the chorus of condemnations.

In the recordings, Sterling can be heard berating his girlfriend Vanessa Stiviano about her “associating with black people”, and telling her not to bring “blacks” to basketball games.

Commissioner Adam Silver said he would push the disgraced owner to sell his franchise. Sterling has already been fined $2.5 million; the money will reportedly be donated to anti-racism charities.

“We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling’s views, they simply have no place in the NBA,” he said, according to the Associated Press. “This league is far bigger than any one owner, any one coach and any one player.”

Following the ruling, Sterling is barred from attending any NBA games or practices, being present at any Clippers office or facility, and from participating in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team.