|
The suspended players haven't filed appeals, league spokesman Greg Aiello said Friday. The deadline is Monday and Vilma and Smith have already said they plan to file.
Vilma tweeted Friday: "NFL needs to publicly release evidence of players' bounty involvement if it exists."
Aiello said the union is seeking immunity for the four suspended players, "a position it never advanced during the months of discussion on this matter."
The union letter said the NFL must begin proceedings before arbitrator Stephen Burbank, a University of Pennsylvania law professor, and that he "would ultimately determine whether and to what extent the players should be punished."
"We expect that the arbitrators will reject the union's efforts to protect players from accountability for prohibited and dangerous conduct directed against other players," Aiello said, "and uphold the disciplinary process that was so carefully negotiated in the Collective Bargaining less than a year ago."
Even if the arbitrator finds that Goodell had the authority to punish the players, the union maintained that appeals for on-field behavior should be heard by Art Shell and Ted Cottrell, not Goodell. Shell and Cottrell are employed by the NFL and the NFLPA as independent hearing officers when players are fined or suspended for flagrant hits during games.
The union also urged an expedited hearing of its grievance before another arbitrator, Shyam Das, on May 16.
[Associated Press;
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching & Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries
Community |
Perspectives
|
Law & Courts |
Leisure Time
|
Spiritual Life |
Health & Fitness |
Teen Scene
Calendar
|
Letters to the Editor