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NFL Threatens Players With Discipline If They Do Not Cooperate In PED Investigation
The NFL has "threatened discipline, including suspension, for players refusing to cooperate" with the league's investigation into Al-Jazeera America's PED allegations report, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. A letter from the NFL to the NFLPA states that Steelers LB James Harrison, Packers LBs Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers and free agent DE Mike Neal "have until Aug. 25 to comply with the league's requests for interviews." NFL Senior VP/Labor Policy Adolpho Birch wrote that the league "has a 'good faith basis' for investigating potential violations of the NFL's drug policy, yet the league has made at least seven unsuccessful attempts to interview these players" ( <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/nfl-al-jazeera-implicated-players-speak-face-suspension/story?id=41408373" target="_blank">ESPN.com, 8/15</a> ). Birch's letter states that the potential suspensions "would be for conduct detrimental, and separate from any possible discipline the players would face under the league's drug policies." USA TODAY's Tom Pelissero notes each player "would remain suspended until he has participated in an interview with the league's investigators, after which NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell 'will determine whether and when the suspension should be lifted.'" The NFLPA has "argued that players should not be required to cooperate with the investigation because Charlie Sly, the former anti-aging clinic [employee] who implicated the players in hidden-camera footage in the documentary, later recanted his claims" ( <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2016/08/15/james-harrison-clay-matthews-al-jazeera-america-peds/88800352/" target="_blank"></a> <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2016/08/15/james-harrison-clay-matthews-al-jazeera-america-peds/88800352/" target="_blank">USATODAY.com, 8/1</a> 5 ). Harrison before yesterday's news of the league's threat said, "There’s nothing going on. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a done deal.” Harrison said that he "had heard nothing from the NFL and has no idea if they planned to pursue the matter." Harrison: "That’s something you might want to talk to them about. That’s it. I did what I had to do, my part" ( <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2016/08/15/Steelers-James-Harrison-has-not-heard-from-NFL-considers-PED-inquiry-done-deal/stories/201608150135" target="_blank">PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 8/16</a> ).
