Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be without two of his best defensive teammates for part of the 2016 season, as outside linebackers Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews are under investigation by the National Football League after their names appeared in Al-Jazeera America’s report about performance-enhancing-drug users.
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Now other players in the league are dealing with the ramifications of being blamed for things without actual concrete evidence.
Birch’s letter says Neal lied in his statement, which “includes an assertion that is demonstrably false” – hammering home the need for interviews. “They’re going to suspend me if that’s the case?” The letters made no direct or indirect threat to not cooperate with the investigation; it merely requested what the basis of the investigation was considering the statements made from the documentary were now fully recanted.
Sly named all four NFL players, as well as major league baseball players Ryan Howard and Jordan Zimmerman while secretly being recorded by Liam Collins, a former British hurdler who was reporting undercover for Al Jazeera.
Harrison has been consistent in claiming his innocence and has refused, time and time again, to be interviewed by league investigators.
Everybody agrees players are required to co-operate with investigations.
While Thompson chose his words carefully Tuesday, Rodgers did so as well on Wednesday – except the thoughtful two-time NFL MVP chose a more aggressive tack.
Goodell has unilateral ability to determine whether or not a player has performed “conduct detrimental” to the league and can suspend the player as he wishes, with few exceptions (ie: there is already a penalty structure in place that aligns perfectly with what the player is alleged to have done). On each occasion, the NFLPA has communicated the players’ refusal to participate. The league has tried to interview the players since the beginning of training, but the NFLPA has advised the players to not participate. Harrison confirmed he received notification of the suspension on Monday, about an hour after the news became public. Such a suspension would be separate from any possible future determination of violation of the steroid policy.
“It’s a little more complicated than you might want it to be”.
In any event, this sounds reasonably serious – if you think a suspension of star players next week is serious, anyway. This obligation includes not only the responsibility to submit to an interview but also the duty to provide meaningful responses to the questions posed.
“We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out”.
“The Commissioner has directed that Messrs”.
Harrison said he doesnt want to be suspended, but he is prepared to take the situation as far as New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who fought his four-game Deflategate suspension for 18 months almost to the U.S. Supreme Court before deciding to no longer proceed with the legal process.
The players’ punishment would end at the discretion of Commissioner Roger Goodell once interviews are completed, according to the letter obtained by the Associated Press.
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To avoid this outcome, please promptly contact my office to make arrangements for the interviews.
