[外絮] 太陽老闆被指控（1）

太陽隊老闆被指控（1）

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32440987/phoenix-suns-robert-sarver-allegations-racism-misogyny

作者為ESPN資深作家Holmes

Allegations of racism and misogyny within the Phoenix Suns: Inside Robert Sarver's 17-year tenure as owner

太陽隊內的種族與性別歧視： 殺佛掌控球隊17年的內幕

ON THE EVENING of Oct. 30, 2016, at Talking Stick Resort Arena in downtown Phoenix, Earl Watson, in just his third game as the Suns' head coach, faced a tall task: beat the powerhouse Golden State Warriors.
The young Phoenix Suns team had been toiling at the bottom of the NBA's standings for years, missing the playoffs for six straight seasons while churning through head coaches. Watson was the fourth in as many years. Still, the Suns were playing the eventual NBA champions close, even leading by 13 in the first half. But it didn't last. The Warriors took control in the fourth quarter and cemented a 106-100 win, dropping the Suns to 0-3.

大約5年前，剛擔任太陽總教練第三場的Watson面臨一個艱難的挑戰： 擊敗金州勇士

年輕（當時）的太陽已經連續6年無緣季後，而且頻繁換帥，Watson是近年第四位太陽的總教練。

即使是如此，太陽並沒有落後總冠軍（勇士）太多，上半場甚至還領先多達13分，可能並沒有保持，最終100-106輸球。

After the loss, Suns majority owner Robert Sarver entered the coaches locker room, Watson told ESPN.
"You know, why does Draymond Green get to run up the court and say [N-word]," Sarver, who is white, allegedly said, repeating the N-word several times in a row.
"You can't say that," Watson, who is Black and Hispanic, told Sarver.
"Why?" Sarver replied. "Draymond Green says [N-word]."
"You can't f---ing say that," Watson said again.
The anecdote offers a glimpse into conduct that, sources told ESPN, Sarver has often exhibited since buying the Suns in 2004. Interviews with more than 70 former and current Suns employees throughout Sarver's 17-year tenure describe a toxic and sometimes hostile workplace under Sarver. Some told ESPN that he has used racially insensitive language repeatedly in the office. Employees recounted conduct they felt was inappropriate and misogynistic, including Sarver once passing around a picture of his wife
in a bikini to employees and speaking about times his wife performed oral sex on him. Some said the longtime owner fostered an environment in which employees felt they were his property, even once asking one woman whether he "owned" her to determine whether she worked for the Suns.

Watson告訴ESPN這個故事，輸球後老闆殺佛跑到更衣室

「你知道為什麼Green可以說Nword 嗎？」身為白人的殺佛重覆了無數次

「你不能說Nword」Watson是非裔+西裔

「為什麼？」殺佛問。「Green就說了」

「你就是他X的不能說」Watson回

消息人士告訴ESPN,從這件事情就可以知道殺佛從04年入主球隊之後對黑人的不尊重

ESPN採訪了70位前/現任員工，他們形容殺佛領導的辦公室是有毒且充滿（種族）敵意。

除此之外還有眾多的故事，像是展示他太太的泳裝照、炫耀她替他口交了幾次。這位老闆長期營造員工是他的所有物，甚至問一名女性員工自己是否是他的「擁有者」來確認他是否是太陽員工

"The level of misogyny and racism is beyond the pale," one Suns co-owner said about Sarver. "It's embarrassing as an owner."
Said a former Suns basketball executive: "There's literally nothing you could tell me about him from a misogynistic or race standpoint that would surprise me."
Through his legal team, Sarver denied using racially insensitive language. "I've never called anyone or any group of people the N-word, or referred to anyone or any group of people by the N-word, either verbally or in writing. I don't use that word. It is abhorrent and ugly and denigrating and against everything I believe in."
Sarver did acknowledge using the word once many years ago. "On one occasion a player used the N-word to describe the importance of having each others' back," Sarver said through his attorneys. "I responded by saying, 'I wouldn't say n---a, I would say that we're in the foxhole together.' An assistant coach approached me a short time after and told me that I shouldn't say the word, even if I were quoting someone else. I immediately apologized and haven't said it ever again. The N-word has never been a
part of my vocabulary."

「性別歧視與種族歧視的程度嚴重到令人尷尬」一位太陽隊的共同擁有者說

前太陽主管「根據他歧視的程度，你說什麼我都會相信」

殺佛本人透過律師團隊否認自己言語、書面上的使用Nword

並說明多年之前自己有不經意的說出過（在引用他人的話時），而一位助理教練告訴他，即使在引用他人的話時，他也不該使用Nword.他（殺佛）立刻道歉，而且從不再使用Nword

In the case of the Oct. 30, 2016, game versus the Warriors, Sarver and his lawyers wrote that Sarver did not have that conversation with Watson but had one with a Suns player who had received a technical foul for what they said was using the N-word during the game. Sarver said he encouraged the player to appeal the technical foul because Green had used the word in the game -- the technical foul was later rescinded by the league.
Sarver denied Watson's characterization of the incident: "This is absolutely untrue. I remember the game and topic clearly. I of course never used the word myself. During this conversation, I said 'N-word' without saying the full word. The word itself never crossed my lips.
"Let me be crystal clear: I never once suggested on that night (or ever) that I should be able to say the N-word because a player or a Black person uses it."

殺佛跟他的律師對於5年前Watson的指控 ，他說他們並沒有進行這一場談話，而是他跟一名太陽球員。

該球員因為在比賽中講了Nword導致技術犯規，殺佛找到他並鼓勵他上訴，因為Green也講了。而最終這個技術犯規被撤銷。

殺佛通盤否認Watson的指控，而且表明自己用N代替Nword ,他沒有講完整的詞，這個單字沒有越出他的嘴巴

「讓我說清楚，我從沒講過或是要求/建議 我可以講這個字」

The player, through his agent, told ESPN that he thinks using the N-word might have contributed to the technical foul but does not recall speaking to Sarver that night. Watson told ESPN there was no player in the room when Sarver made the comment.

這位球員通過經紀人告訴ESPN,他認為Nword會導致技術犯規，但他不記得和殺佛之間有這場對話。

而Watson告訴ESPN他發表言論時在場沒有其他球員

Multiple current and former employees also told ESPN about conduct by other members of the Suns leadership team that they felt contributed to a toxic and sometimes hostile work environment. While none said Sarver was involved in those incidents, many felt that Sarver's own conduct contributed to a culture that affected how some other managers within the organization treated their employees.

多位員工告訴ESPN太陽的領導團隊導致了不友善的環境，雖然沒有來源直接指出殺佛是始作俑者，但很明顯殺佛的言行導致了這種文化

ESPN has asked Sarver on multiple occasions to be interviewed about his tenure in Phoenix. ESPN also sent Sarver and the Suns organization written questions. The outreaches spawned a flurry of activity. Some of it was public: On Oct. 22, Sarver and the Suns sent three statements to ESPN, and tweeted versions of them, denying any improper behavior. Sarver also hired a law firm, which ultimately sent four letters to ESPN's legal department.
In addition to Sarver, ESPN reached out to other Suns employees, including general manager James Jones, who issued a one-sentence statement: "None of what's been said describes the Robert Sarver I know, respect and like -- it just doesn't."

ESPN多次想要採訪殺佛，甚至書面送去他們的問題，但殺佛只透過律師書面否認，並在推特澄清

太陽的總經理JJ也發表了他的聲明「這些描述都沒有發生在受人喜愛與尊敬的殺佛身上- 這就不是真的」

Jason Rowley, president and CEO of the Suns, defended Sarver: "This story is completely outrageous and false. It doesn't represent -- at all -- the Robert Sarver I've worked alongside of for 15 years. He's not a racist and he's not a sexist."
NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said the league has not "received a complaint of misconduct at the Suns organization through any of our processes, including our confidential workplace misconduct hotline or other correspondence."

太陽的執行總裁Row也說這完全是子虛烏有，這不是我認識15年的殺佛。他不是種族歧視也沒有性別歧視

NBA發言人說，NBA沒收到任何對殺佛的指控，包含他們的保密熱線或其他管道。

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