Report Questions NFL's Commitment To New Domestic Violence Policy

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Report Questions NFL's Commitment To New Domestic Violence Policy 

Post#1 » by RealGM Wiretap » Tue Jan 31, 2017 4:50 pm

The NFL appears to have enforced its “baseline” six-game suspension against just two of 18 players publicly linked to domestic violence allegations since Roger Goodell announced the new policy in 2014.

Of the two NFL players known to have actually received six-game suspensions linked to abuse claims since August 2014, one was already a free agent and the other was former Lions offensive lineman Rodney Austin. 

“The NFL is definitely inconsistent,” says Austin, who was found guilty on domestic violence charges after a fight with his girlfriend, though Austin disputes her account of events. Austin believes the NFL's investigation into Ezekiel Elliott remained conveniently incomplete through the playoffs.

“They want to protect their investments. They want to protect their stars who are either coming into or are in the prime of their career. Zeke is out there playing and I’m not.”

 

For the seven players known to have been suspended after domestic violence-related allegations since late August 2014, it has taken an average of 11 months from the time of allegation to a public NFL conclusion. In some cases, the league's independent inquiries have taken longer to conclude than associated criminal proceedings.

Outsiders skeptical of the NFL’s commitment to the new policy since it was announced have continued to demand answers and question the credibility of the league’s leadership on domestic violence.

Helen A. Drew, a professor at the University at Buffalo School of Law who has studied the NFL’s policies extensively, says the Rice backlash “should have been the wake-up call of a lifetime.” She continued:

"Your credibility to your fanbase and employees is suspect if you aren’t transparent. Whether rightly or wrongly, people are going to question what is going on behind the scenes. If you’re doing what you say you do, why don’t we see it?"

“For the suspensions we have seen, we’ve seen less than six games, too,” says Daniel Werly, a sports attorney who has represented professional players and leagues. “We don’t know why the NFL is doing that—the application of the new policy has been almost nonexistent.”

“We are supposed to believe those investigative reports are totally objective,” says Roger Abrams, a law professor at Northeastern University. “I can’t believe that’s the case. Who makes the ultimate decision? Roger Goodell is not neutral on domestic violence. He runs a $13-billion-a-year business.”

Via Mary Pilon/Bleacher Report

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