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SPORTS Friday 10 February 2023
Suit: NFL runs ‘sham’ disability program for injured players

By MARYCLAIRE DALE lead to payments between
Associated Press $65,000 to $265,000, but
Ten retired NFL players are only 30 of the thousands
accusing the league of filed to date have led to top
lies, bad faith and flagrant awards, according to Sam
violations of federal law in Katz, one of several lawyers
denying disability benefits working with Seeger on the
in a potential class-action case.
lawsuit filed Thursday in Bal- The disability program grew
timore. out of the 2011 collective-
The men said they left the bargaining agreement
game with lingering physi- between the players and
cal or cognitive injuries the union, and was hailed
that make their daily lives a way to help ailing for-
difficult if not excruciating. mer players. During the
They also said they are not pandemic, players com-
alone. plained of delays in having
“They’re a small fraction of their cases reviewed.
the players who have been “I had a great run.
wronged by the NFL’s dis- This combo of file photos, shows former 9 of the 10 retired NFL football players, who have accused My name has been out
ability plan. the league of lies, bad faith and flagrant violations of federal law in denying disability benefits in there. But I feel like it’s
a potential class action lawsuit filed Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, in Baltimore.
These former players de- Associated Press time to step up (for other
serve far more from an or- players),” said Smith, who
ganization worth billions of for the Super Bowl on Sun- 39, said on a videoconfer- who was paid more than noted he had twice been
dollars than a sham pro- day. ence call that included $800,000 from the program knocked out during tele-
cess in which there’s no The NFL did not immediate- McGahee and lawyers. “I examined a group of 29 vised games. “We deserve
chance of success,” said ly respond to a request for went down a dark path. If former players and found to be taken care of at the
lawyer Chris Seeger, who comment, nor did the NFL I ever hurt one of them, in none of them was disabled, end of the day.”
separately has been class Players Association. one of these cases, that’s according to the lawyers. The other former players
counsel in the $1 billion set- Willis McGahee, a first- probably the end. Like, I’m Seeger, who has worked who signed on to the law-
tlement of NFL concussion round pick in 2003 who done.” closely with NFL lawyers on suit are Jason Alford (three
claims. spent 11 seasons in the The lawsuit also alleges that the concussion case for a seasons), Daniel Loper (five
The new lawsuit was filed in NFL, said he has had more the doctors who examine decade, said the latest suit seasons), Michael McKen-
federal court in Baltimore, than a dozen surgeries for players for the league’s dis- seeks to have the disability zie (11 seasons), Jamize
and names as defendants football injuries and often ability plan have a finan- plan “fulfill its overdue legal Olaware (eight seasons),
both NFL Commissioner needs help getting out of cial interest in denying the responsibilities to players Alex Parsons (one season),
Roger Goodell and the bed. He is 41. claims, as it makes them rather than continue to try Charles Sims (four seasons),
NFL’s Disability Board. and I’m bleeding, there are more likely to get future to dodge accountability Joey Thomas (three sea-
The suit comes as league holes in the wall. My wife referrals from the program. every step of the way.” sons) and Lance Zeno (two
officials gather in Phoenix and kids are crying,” Smith, One neuropsychologist A successful claim can seasons).q

Native Americans renew protests of Kansas City Chiefs mascot

By TERRY TANG for the first time in two years ened in the last few years. about cultural insensitivities cussions with the American
Associated Press in Arizona, protesters will be A lot of teams previously going back a decade but Indian Community Working
PHOENIX (AP) — Two years there again. Arizona to Ral- countered that the mas- always stop short of alter- Group. This led to invitations
ago as the Kansas City ly Against Native Mascots cots were meant to show ing their name or fan-favor- for Cheyenne spiritual and
Chiefs were vying for a is planning to demonstrate tribes respect. But the ra- ite gestures and chants. In ceremonial leaders to take
second consecutive Super outside State Farm Stadi- cial reckoning and protests 2013, the team began dis- part at some games.q
Bowl victory in Tampa, Flor- um in the Phoenix suburb of 2020 after the murder of
ida, there was one group of Glendale. They will be George Floyd compelled
outside Raymond James joined at a news confer- some franchises to do
Stadium picketing their ap- ence Thursday afternoon some soul-searching. The
pearance. Native Ameri- in Phoenix by members of Cleveland Indians baseball
can protesters were call- Kansas City Native advo- team officially changed to
ing for the Chiefs to drop cacy groups. the Guardians in Novem-
their name, logo and their Fights against appropria- ber 2021. They also axed
trademark “war chant” tion of tribal cultures and Chief Wahoo, a logo which
where fans make a chop- images have been going was a caricature of an Indi-
ping-hand gesture mimick- on for decades not just an American.It was a year
ing the Native American with the Chiefs but with ago this month that the
tomahawk. They even multiple teams across dif- Washington Football Team
hired a plane to fly around ferent sports. Native Ameri- was anointed the Com-
the area. Before game cans say using iconogra- manders. That move came
day, there were two online phy and words with Native after 18 months of pressure
petitions and billboards of connotations demeans to drop the Redskins, which A woman wearing Native American clothing attends a “No
protest erected in Kansas them and perpetuates rac- was seen as a racial slur. Honor in Racism Rally” march in front of TCF Bank Stadium before
City. Now as the Chiefs re- ist stereotypes. Supporters The Chiefs have made ef- an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the
Kansas City Chiefs, Oct. 18, 2015, in Minneapolis.
turn to Super Bowl Sunday have felt more embold- forts to address concerns Associated Press