Tag: appeal

Alvin Kamara receives sit-down audience with Roger Goodell

Alvin Kamara received his sit-down audience with Roger Goodell to share his side of the story and, hopefully, appeal a potential suspension:

Here we go: Alvin Kamara will be in New York City on Wednesday meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, having been granted the face-to-face meeting he hoped for. Kamara hopes to share his side of the story after last year’s arrest in Las Vegas, in which he was allegedly involved in a brawl outside a nightclub. It was previously reported that Kamara wanted this meeting (and that Saints team officials encouraged him to seek it out), but ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report it’s happening.

Kamara agreed to a plea deal on misdemeanor charges in Nevada and settled a civil suit out of court in Louisiana earlier this summer. Now that the legal process has concluded, the league office is likely to hand down its own discipline. Kamara is trying to get out in front of that and soften the blow as best he can.

We’ll see whether it works out for him. Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan reports that Kamara has sought counsel from members of the Saints organization including general manager Mickey Loomis as he prepares his arguments, and that team owner Gayle Benson is giving him use of her private jet to get him to New York promptly.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen shared his perspective on the situation after the team’s training camp practice earlier this week: “I think Alvin really wants to get out ahead of this and have a chance to visit with Roger and kind of give him his side of the story. And look, at the end of the day, I think part of it is, ‘Let’s get some resolution with where we’re at and move forward.’ I think Alvin is looking forward to putting this behind him and focusing in on what he has to do to be the best he can for our team this season.”

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Ferrari request to review Sainz penalty set for April 18

The FIA will hear Ferrari’s request for a right to review Carlos Sainz’s penalty in the Australian Grand Prix on April 18. Sainz was handed a five-second time penalty for causing a collision with Fernando Alonso on the final grid restart, with the …

The FIA will hear Ferrari’s request for a right to review Carlos Sainz’s penalty in the Australian Grand Prix on April 18.

Sainz was handed a five-second time penalty for causing a collision with Fernando Alonso on the final grid restart, with the fact the field crossed the finish line behind the safety car demoting him from fourth to outside the points. Ferrari was unhappy at the inconsistency shown as Pierre Gasly and Logan Sargeant both escaped punishment for incidents that ended races, and requested a right of review last week.

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The FIA has now set a date for the provisional hearing, with a virtual meeting to take place on April 18, starting at 8:00 CET (2:00am ET).

That hearing is to determine if there’s “a significant and relevant new element” that exists that was not available at the time of the decision in Melbourne. Should that be the case, then the stewards will re-open the investigation into the incident and reconvene for a fresh hearing to consider the outcome. Multiple options would then be open to the stewards, including imposing the same penalty, a different penalty or overturning the decision.

NASCAR Appeals Panel 101: What, who and why

A week after Hendrick Motorsports had its L2 penalty amended by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel, two more appeals will be heard this week. Wednesday, Kaulig Racing appeals its L2 penalty for a modified hood louver. After qualifying at Phoenix …

A week after Hendrick Motorsports had its L2 penalty amended by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel, two more appeals will be heard this week.

Wednesday, Kaulig Racing appeals its L2 penalty for a modified hood louver. After qualifying at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR officials confiscated the hood louvers off the No. 31 Chevrolet. Both Hendrick Motorsports and Kaulig Racing were given the same penalty.

Denny Hamlin has his appeal heard Thursday. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was issued a behavioral penalty after he admitted on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast that he intentionally fenced Ross Chastain on the last lap at Phoenix Raceway.

Hamlin was fined $50,000 and docked 25 points. In its penalty report, NASCAR cited “attempting to manipulate the outcome of a race,” as well as “actions by a NASCAR member that NASCAR finds to be detrimental to stock car racing or NASCAR.”

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Given the recent high-profile appeals and Hendrick Motorsports getting its points back, RACER thought it appropriate to break down some basic questions posed but fans surrounding the National Motorsports Appeals Panel.

What is the National Motorsports Appeals Panel?

The NASCAR Rule Book defines the National Motorsports Appeals Panel as the first level of appeal available to Members. The National Motorsports Appeals Panel provides Members with an impartial and meaningful opportunity to appeal a NASCAR Penalty Notice.

Is the National Motorsports Appeals Panel made up of NASCAR executives?

No. See the next question for more.

Who serves on the National Motorsports Appeals Panel?

The appeals panel comprises former drivers, car owners, track operators and administrators. There are also individuals whose backgrounds do not involve racing.

How is the three-person panel chosen for an appeal?

The Appeal Administrator chooses the panel based on schedule availability, subject matter, and lack of any conflicts of interest.

Do the same three individuals hear every appeal?

No. It is a different panel for each appeal based on rotation and scheduling.

How does someone get chosen for the National Motorsports Appeals Panel?

Nominations for individuals to serve as appeals panelists are provided to NASCAR each year, and a thorough vetting process takes place before they are added to the pool.

Does NASCAR pay the National Motorsports Appeal Panel?

No, panelists are volunteers.

Who is in the room for the appeal?

Representatives from the team under penalty and NASCAR. No lawyers. Both sides present their case, any evidence (charts, videos, statements, diagrams, etc.), and witnesses. The appeals panel can ask questions. The burden is on NASCAR to show there was a violation of the rules.

What power does the National Motorsports Appeals Panel have?

Once an appeal is heard, the appeals panel can uphold the penalty, amend the penalty or increase the penalty. Afterward, the team has the chance to make a final appeal. However, NASCAR does not have the same option.

Hendrick teams regain points lost to hood louver penalties

All four Hendrick Motorsports teams were given their points back Wednesday afternoon as the National Motorsports Appeals Panel amended the L2-level penalty handed out earlier this month. In the amendment, the teams were given back the 100 points and …

All four Hendrick Motorsports teams were given their points back Wednesday afternoon as the National Motorsports Appeals Panel amended the L2-level penalty handed out earlier this month.

In the amendment, the teams were given back the 100 points and 10 playoff points NASCAR had docked them for the modified hood louvers found at Phoenix Raceway. However, the panel agreed the organization violated the rules, and the four-race suspensions to each crew chief stand, as do the $100,000 fines for Cliff Daniels, Rudy Fugle, Alan Gustafson, and Blake Harris.

The panel consisted of Kelly Housby, Dixon Johnston and Bill Lester.

There are two race weekends left on their suspensions — Richmond Raceway and Bristol’s dirt race. All four crew chiefs began their suspension at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 19, even as Hendrick Motorsports file an appeal of the penalty.

Daniels, Fugle, Gustafson, and Harris are eligible to run at Martinsville Speedway on April 16.

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NASCAR confiscated the louvers after Friday’s practice at Phoenix. Officials deemed the louvers had been modified outside the tolerances.

Hendrick Motorsports, however, said the team did what was necessary to make the louvers fit. Chad Knaus, the vice president of competition at Hendrick Motorsports, said teams are being held accountable with their cars but the same is not being done with the single-source suppliers who are not providing parts to the correct specification.

“We are grateful to the National Motorsports Appeals Panel for their time and attention,” said team owner Rick Hendrick. “Today’s outcome reflects the facts, and we’re pleased the panel did the right thing by overturning the points penalty. It validated our concerns regarding unclear communication and other issues we raised. We look forward to focusing on the rest of our season, beginning with this weekend’s race at Richmond.”

In a statement, NASCAR expressed disappointment with the panel’s decision to amend the penalties.

“We are pleased that the National Motorsports Appeals Panel agreed that Hendrick Motorsports violated the rule book. However, we are disappointed that the entirety of the penalty was not upheld,” the statement read. “A points penalty is a strong deterrent that is necessary to govern the garage following rule book violations, and we believe that it was an important part of the penalty in this case and moving forward. We will continue to inspect and officiate the NASCAR garage at the highest level of scrutiny to ensure a fair and level playing field for our fans and the entire garage.”

Hamlin will appeal penalty over Chastain incident

Denny Hamlin has changed his mind and will appeal the penalty NASCAR levied against him earlier this week for fencing Ross Chastain on the last lap at Phoenix Raceway. But Hamlin isn’t talking about the decision or what happened last weekend. “I …

Denny Hamlin has changed his mind and will appeal the penalty NASCAR levied against him earlier this week for fencing Ross Chastain on the last lap at Phoenix Raceway.

But Hamlin isn’t talking about the decision or what happened last weekend.

“I think you should get your Shingrix shingle vaccination, is what I think,” Hamlin said Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway when asked why he decided to appeal.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver used the same response to two other questions about the appeal during his media availability. When asked if that would be his response all day to avoid getting in trouble again, Hamlin said, “Can’t wait for Atlanta.”

Hamlin was fined $50,000 and docked 25 points Wednesday afternoon. NASCAR officials reviewed Hamlin’s comments on his podcast, “Actions Detrimental,” where he admitted he intentionally fenced Chastain.

“I’ve said for a while you’ve got to do something to get these guys’ attention,” Hamlin said on the podcast. “Ross doesn’t like it when I speak his name in the media and when I have this microphone. But I told him, ‘Well, I have a microphone, and I’m going to call it like I see it, and until you get a microphone, you can then say whatever you want about me.’

“But the fact is, while I’m sitting here talking, I’m going to call things the way I see it, and sometimes I’m going to have to call myself out, which I’m the (expletive) who lost just as many spots as he did. But at the time, I said, well, I’m going to finish (expletive) anyway, and I’m just going to make sure he finishes (expletive) right here with me.”

Initially, NASCAR viewed it as a racing incident until being made aware of Hamlin’s comments.

“The way we look at these situations, they are all individual and unique to themselves,” NASCAR senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer said. “When you look at this one this past weekend, we would have viewed that as a racing incident, but then 24 hours later have a competitor that has gone on a podcast — which I will say, we’re delighted Denny has a podcast. We think that’s great; he interacts with the fans.

“But when you start admitting you have intentionally done something that would comprise the result of the end of the race, then that rises to the level that we’re going to get involved. There’s no other way to look at that. We’re going to get involved in those situations. We’ve been consistent in the past with that, and we will be consistent going forward.”

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Hamlin had “nothing to say” about his reaction to the penalty. He also politely declined to share whether he understood where NASCAR officials draw the line between what’s hard racing and what’s intentional.

In the tweet posted Friday evening announcing he is appealing the penalty, Hamlin said what happened at Phoenix was not race manipulation or actions detrimental to the sport. Both of those were the rule NASCAR cited in its penalty to Hamlin.

“I don’t have a definition,” Hamlin said when asked for his definition of race manipulation. “I think it’s in the rule book.”

Hamlin and Chastain talked on pit road at Phoenix after the incident. According to Hamlin, they’ve called a truce.

“Just taking each others’ word for it,” Hamlin said.

Chastain did not listen to Hamlin’s podcast and didn’t have a reaction to the penalty. However, Chastain and Hamlin agreed they would judge each other on their actions going forward.

“Initially, when I’m hitting the wall and realizing we finished last of the lead lap cars, yeah, I’m mad,” Chastain said. “I’m human and we worked really hard to finish good, and we were going to. Yeah, definitely mad.

“On the cool-down lap, still mad, I just had a lot of self-talk and weighing out all of my options. I felt like getting out of the car and talking to him was going to be the best way I could go about it.”

Report: Saints appealing loss of 2021 draft pick after COVID-19 protocol breach

The Athletic reports that the New Orleans Saints are appealing the loss of a seventh round draft pick in 2021 following COVID-19 discipline.

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The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan reports that the New Orleans Saints are appealing league disciplinary measures following another failure to adhere to COVID-19 protocols, in which players celebrated in the locker room without masks after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back on Nov. 1.

Penalties issued to New Orleans included the loss of $500,000 in cash and the forfeiture of a 2021 seventh-round draft pick, justified by the league as evidence of the Saints being repeat offenders. Head coach Sean Payton did not keep his face covered during a few early-season games, leading to previous fines from the NFL.

That was enough for the league to go after the entire organization after the Saints joined many other teams in sharing video of their postgame celebration, which is a stretch. None of those other teams have been hit with penalties this severe, and while the Saints have ceded the financial loss (which goes to funds supporting former players anyway), Duncan reports that they are working “through back channels” to overturn the loss of a draft pick in 2021.

It’s understandable that the NFL has to take a hardline stance on this. But some veneer of fairness in how teams are punished for violations should be required. It’s not like the Saints created dozens of positive cases within their organization and forced a series of games to be rescheduled. Maybe cooler heads can still prevail.

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Seahawks monitoring the ‘complex’ situation with Antonio Brown

The Seahawks are monitoring the eight-game suspension levied on wide receiver Antonio Brown to see if he’d be an eventual fit on the roster.

The Seattle Seahawks always have their feelers on, looking for possible additions to the roster, no matter the trouble the player might have had with his former team.

Seattle signed Josh Gordon last season, and the wide receiver appeared in five games before he was suspended indefinitely for violations of the substance abuse and performance-enhancing drugs policies. The Seahawks would likely welcome him back this year should he be reinstated.

But another wide receiver of interest has now crossed the Seahawks’ radar . . . Antonio Brown, who was just levied with an eight-game suspension to start the season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Regardless, Seattle merits him worth taking a look.

“What I’d say to you is what we always say because it’s what we always do and who we are,” coach Pete Carroll told reporters via Zoom on Monday.  “John [Schneider] is competing at every turn. There’s never been a process, unless we just missed it, that we weren’t involved with to understand what the chances were of helping our club. He’s all over it. He understands what’s going on right now, as much as you can. It’s a very complex situation. We just need to see where it fits somewhere down the road. That’s all I got for you.”

With both wide receivers’ suspensions pending, Seattle has plenty of time to wait and see before signing either player to the roster.

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Seahawks ‘very open’ to a Josh Gordon return if he’s reinstated by NFL

Coach Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks ‘very open’ to a Josh Gordon return if he’s reinstated by NFL this season.

The Seattle Seahawks were able to utilize wide receiver Josh Gordon last season for just five games before he was ultimately suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violations of the league’s performance-enhancing drug and substance-abuse policies.

Gordon has since appealed the decision is hoping to be reinstated in time to see some action this year, hopefully before the start of the season. The wide receiver has indicated he would be interested in returning to Seattle and it seems the Seahawks feel similarly.

“Josh did a really good job with us last year, he fit in really well,” coach Pete Carroll said during his Zoom press conference on Monday. “He was part of this team, by the way we opened and embraced his coming to us, but also by the way he attacked it. So we are very open to that thought and we’ll see what happens.

“I don’t know, I can’t tell you what’s going to happen on that.”

So for now, both Carroll and Gordon will be waiting on the results of his appeal.

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