The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn a ruling that upheld the suspension of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
Peterson was suspended indefinitely — at least through April 15 — after pleading no contest last month to a misdemeanor charge for whipping his son with a tree branch.
NFL-appointed arbitrator Harold Henderson on Friday last week upheld the sanction, saying the ruling was neither unfair nor inconsistent.
The association said in its petition on Monday that Henderson’s decision “is contrary to the essence of the NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement; it defies fundamental principles of notice, fairness and consistency; and it was rendered by an evidently partial arbitrator who exceeded the scope of his authority.”
Peterson received probation and a US$4,000 fine over the incident, and was required by a judge to do 80 hours of community service. However, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell chastised the player for showing “no meaningful remorse.”
In a statement issued after Henderson’s ruling, the union said it had expected Peterson’s appeal to be denied because of what it called Henderson’s “relationship and financial ties to the NFL.”
Henderson is a former league executive who dealt mostly in player and labor relations.
In its filing on Monday, the union reiterated its stance that Goodell is ignoring protections in contract “in favor of issuing arbitrary and inconsistent discipline to promote the League’s own public relations agenda.”
The union says Peterson was unfairly penalized under a revised personal conduct policy issued in late August, months after the incident in question occurred.
Monday’s lawsuit came as ABC News obtained an audio tape of a Nov. 12 telephone conversation between Peterson and NFL executive Troy Vincent, in which Vincent indicates Peterson will be subject to a two-game suspension.
During Peterson’s appeal hearing, Vincent said he never promised Peterson anything and Henderson agreed in his ruling, saying Vincent lacked the authority to do so.
The tape, which was part of the appeal process, has Peterson asking Vincent if he would only be penalized two games.
Vincent replies: “Yeah,” but adds that Peterson has to “go through the process,” including a hearing that he opted not to attend.
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