NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith ready to defend suspended New Orleans Saints players
The National Football League (NFL) on Wednesday finally released suspensions and punishments for New Orleans Saints players involved in the illegal bounty programme.
The league suspended four players for varying time lengths depending on their involvement in the scandal.
Saints linebacker, Jonathan Vilma received the severest punishment as he was suspended without pay for the entirety of the 2012-13 season while defensive end, Will Smith is suspended for the first four games of the new season.
Former Saints players, Anthony Hargrove and Scott Fujita each received eight and three game suspensions respectively.
The players union, NFL Players Association (NFLPA) which conducted its own investigation into the incident though does not believe that the league has enough evidence to justify such harsh measures.
NFLPA executive director, DeMaurice Smith in a statement released to the press after the announcement of the punishment said that the union is prepared to defend the players punished and will help them in their appeals against the suspensions.
"After seeing the NFL's decision letters, the NFLPA has still not received any detailed or specific evidence from the league of these specific players' involvement in an alleged pay-to-injure program. We have made it clear that punishment without evidence
is not fair. We have spoken with our players and their representatives and we will vigorously protect and pursue all options on their behalf."
Smith’s assertion that the NFL has not shared its findings and evidence it took into consideration to punish the players, is vigorously denied by the league who maintain that they have shared each and every report about the case with the union.
The Saints were found guilty of running an illegal bounty program in their defensive roster which paid players to go out and injure targeted opponents.
The NFL alleged that the franchise maintained a bounty pool of around $ 50,000 from which it paid players $ 1,000 to $ 1,500 for successful hits.
Saints front office staff and coaches have already been severely punished by the league with head coach, Sean Payton receiving a one-year ban from coaching in the NFL because of his involvement in the scandal.
The NFLPA and players are likely to appeal the sentences soon.
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