Telfair suspended for two games for taking gun on plane

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Portland Trail Blazers guard Sebastian
Telfair has been suspended by the NBA for two games without pay
for having a gun on the team plane, the league announced.

The gun was discovered while the cabin area of the plane
was being prepared for a flight from Boston to Toronto on
February 11, the Trail Blazers said in an earlier statement.

“This conduct violates the league’s collective bargaining
agreement, which prohibits players from possessing a firearm
while traveling on team or league business,” the NBA said.

An earlier team statement said Telfair had told Trail
Blazers officials he had inadvertently grabbed his girlfriend’s
bag by mistake when he left for the team’s road trip.

“The bag contained his girlfriend’s handgun that she
purchased from a licensed gun retailer in Oregon for her
personal protection,” the statement added.

“When Sebastian made the discovery while in flight, he
placed the gun inside his own pillow and chose to leave it on
the plane for the rest of the trip.”

Telfair was not charged by law enforcement officials in
connection with the incident and has apologized for it.