Sports

Cuban, Mavs Petitioned For Documents Related To Racial Discrimination

REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Mike Brest Reporter
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A former employee at the American Airlines Center, the home of the Dallas Mavericks, has filed a petition for documents from the team that could lead to a racial discrimination lawsuit.

The former employee, Michelle Newsome, also wants to depose Cuban, Yahoo Sports reports.

According to the report filed, Cuban swept a racial incident under the rug and did nothing about the event in question back in 2011.

Before a game on Feb. 23, 2011, a white employee with the Arena Operating Company, put a noose in the closet across from Cuban’s luxury suite.

A black employee found the object and took a photo of it. That employee also signed an affidavit stating that Cuban took the noose and promptly threw it out.

Newsome told USA Today:

“There was nothing done and the most disheartening thing was the fact that Mr. Cuban is the one who took down the noose and discarded it. … They tried to brush it under the carpet. There was no action taken by him. There was nothing that said, there was no action taken by Mr. Cuban and he didn’t say anything like that this is intolerable, that this can’t be tolerated. There was nothing at all stated saying this was wrong, this is not allowed, this is not representative of a company culture that I want to have for one of my businesses.”

The deposition and documents could lead to a racial discrimination lawsuit.

While these allegations have yet to be substantiated, the Dallas Mavericks have continued to be embroiled in controversies. (RELATED: Dallas Mavericks Former President Accused Of Rampant Sexual Misconduct)

Back in February, a Sports Illustrated report detailed allegations of workplace misconduct by former team president Terdema Ussery. According to the piece, he not only would sexually harass employees, but the head of Human Resources, Buddy Pittman would ignore the claims. Ussery had already left the position but Pittman was fired after the scandal.