NFL Appeals Decision To Let Ezekiel Elliott Play
The fight between the NFL and NFLPA concerning a six-game suspension assessed to Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott continues. And it probably is not ending any time soon.
This past week, the largest event in the ongoing litigation concerned the NFL's filing of an appeal on the lower court's order that Elliott's suspension be postponed until the lawsuit is resolved. That would allow Elliott to likely play out the entire 2017 NFL regular season and participate in playoff games if the Cowboys are fortunate enough to make the postseason.
One requirement for the NFL to prevail on appeal is to demonstrate that it will be irreparably harmed should Elliott be allowed to play this season while the court proceeding plays out. The NFLPA says the NFL has no true claim, since Elliott can serve a suspension, if upheld, at any point in time. The NFL says that it needs to remain in place now or else the integrity of the collective bargaining agreement is at risk and players will frequently violate the rules thinking that there is no immediate recourse in place.
The Fifth Circuit does not often reverse the lower court, choosing to do so less than 10% of the time that an appeal brief is filed.
Boxer Receives $22 Million Settlement
It is not often that one reads about a $22 million settlement, in or outside of the realm of sports. In fact, a settlement of that size would commonly be confidential as part of a negotiated agreement between the parties. However, a recent settlement between boxer Magomed Abdusalamov and the State of New York was made public and will entitle the boxer to the sizable amount of money.
The money will not make up for the damage sustained by the boxer and the suffering he experiences on a day-to-day basis. It is reported that he cannot walk or even talk in complete sentences.
The legal issue surrounded the boxer being cleared to fight when he should not have been, which led to him being placed in a medically-induced coma and ultimately wind up in the terrible condition he is in today.
Oklahoma Defensive Lineman Sues NCAA After Appealing Substance-Related Suspension
The NCAA has found itself in the middle of another lawsuit, but this one is particularly interesting because it was filed by a current athlete. Oklahoma defensive lineman Amani Bledsoe has filed a suit against the NCAA based on a claim that it "arbitrarily and capriciously enforced" its bylaws and policies on drug testing, wrongfully denying the player's appeal.
Bledsoe was found to have the banned substance clomiphene in his system. After looking through his supplements, Bledsoe discovered that one of the products included small amounts of the substance despite the name of the substance not being stated on the product's label. Bledsoe was suspended for a year and his appeal was denied.
The player wants to be reinstated and to have his attorney's fees and costs paid for by the NCAA.
DraftKings CEO Talks About Legal Issues During Company's Growth
In a recent interview, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins said, "I didn’t think we were just going to be stomped out of business in a moment’s notice, and all of a sudden, that’s where we were." Robins was referring to the onslaught of legal actions against his company and the myriad threats made by various state attorneys general, with the strongest opposition probably coming from the New York State Attorney General.
It was a long and expensive battle for Robins and other fantasy sports company owners in their fight to frame their companies as skill-related entities separate and apart from the type of sports betting often offered in a casino.
Darren Heitner is the Founder of South Florida-based HEITNER LEGAL, P.L.L.C. and Sports Agent Blog. He authored the book, How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know.
