What did Robert Sarver do? Suns, Mercury owner’s actions

Robert Sarver, owner of Phoenix Suns and Mercury, said that he’d begun the process of selling the two clubs, eight days after being handed a suspension by the NBA for racist comments and hostile behaviour towards colleagues in the workplace. 

Apart from using the n-word repeatedly, Sarver’s jokes also crossed boundaries with women and his behaviour towards them in certain circumstances was reproachable too. After an investigation by an independent firm, Sarver was not just suspended but also fined $10 million. While his comments have been distasteful and discomforting, some of his actions have been questionable too. 

As per the firm’s investigations, Sarver’s improper conduct extended to how he behaved around the team. He once exposed his genitalia to a male employee. The report states, the man was “on his knees in front of Sarver performing a fitness check that Sarver had requested and had undergone before. Past experience would have taught Sarver that dropping his underwear was unnecessary for the fitness check.” 

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At a Suns holiday party, Sarver was accused of grabbing a male employee and then dancing pelvis to pelvis with him. 

There was an ice bucket challenge in 2014, during which time, Sarver pulled down the pants of a male employee in front of his colleagues. As per the independent investigation, the individual wasn’t exposed but was embarrassed. After the initial ESPN report came out, highlighting Sarver’s actions, he apologized for this incident. 

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Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz carried out this investigation and found that Sarver’s actions resulted in the organization becoming a toxic place for pregnant women and those with young children. Suns executives have commented on the physical appearances of female staffers in their emails, and the investigation also showed one instance where anti-gay sentiment was expressed. The human-resource department was found to be poor at record keeping and also broke confidentiality with employees.