Los Angeles Clippers president Andy Roeser to step down

Los Angeles Clippers president Andy Roeser has taken an indefinite leave of absence in the aftermath of the racism scandal that has surrounded the NBA franchise.

Last month, Clippers owner Donald Sterling was banned from the sport for life after he was recorded making racist remarks, and is now being forced to sell, pending the approval of three-quarters of his fellow NBA owners.

A spokesman for the NBA felt that the removal of Roeser, who has worked for the Staples Center outfit for 30 years entirely under Sterling's ownership, would allow the team to "begin a clean slate".

Roeser's defence of Sterling in questioning the authenticity of the recordings after they went public led to criticism from Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who said that it upset many of the team's loyal employees.

The NBA will appoint a new chief executive to supervise the running of the team while arrangements to sell the franchise are made, with several celebrities, including Floyd Mayweather Jr, rumoured to be in talks.