Brian Flores asks the NFL to reject the Miami DolphinsRequest for an arbitration hearing in relation to the class-action lawsuit filed by the plaintiff against the league and the club alleging racism in hiring practices.
Flores lawyer wrote Wednesday to Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner. He asked him to refuse Miami’s request to settle the case in court.
Douglas H. Wigdor, attorney, wrote that arbitration is not transparent. “In fact, arbitration is by nature a secretive process that happens behind closed doors and out of the public eye. Arbitration’s lack of transparency only serves to perpetuate the status quo, which in this instance is one you have acknowledged must be fair evaluated and possibly overhauled. Arbitration is not a place where this can happen. Arbitration, in addition to being confidential and secret, is an obstacle to justice for victims and perpetrators of misconduct and discrimination.”
Flores was hired as a senior defense assistant for the Pittsburgh SteelersLast month, he filed a lawsuit against the NFL, Dolphins New York GiantsAnd Denver BroncosAfter his dismissal by Miami. Flores was the Dolphins’ most successful player before he was fired by Miami in January.
Flores stated in a statement that his lawyer provided, “The claims we filed concern important issues of systemic racism discrimination and integrity of NFL football plays.” “Unfortunately the Dolphins and their lawyers Quinn Emanuel & Paul Weiss are trying push the claims against them into secret arbitration proceedings which lack transparency. Current legislative efforts are underway to stop forced arbitration for claims based on race discrimination. I fully support them. I hope that the NFL, Dolphins and other NFL teams will support those efforts. Now Commissioner Goodell has to make a decision. Is he willing to allow this case, and any future claims of race discrimination, to be resolved in a transparent and open legal process? Or will he continue down the same unacceptable path?
Flores’ lawsuit claims the league discriminated against Flores and other Black coaches because of their race. The league denied them positions in head coaches, offensive, defensive and quarterbacks coaching, as well general managers. Flores claims that Miami offered him $100,000 per losing season in 2019, in order to get a top draft pick.
While the NFL maintains that the lawsuit has no merit, Goodell stated prior to the Super Bowl, “all of these allegations, regardless if they were based racism, discrimination or the integrity our game, all of them to me were very concerning.”
The Dolphins requested arbitration hearing last month.
Wigdor wrote to Goodell, “We also hope that, after reading this letter, and reflecting further, that the Dolphins will reconsider and withdraw their arbitration request so Mr. Flores’ claims of race discrimination, and other unlawful conduct, can be heard in an fair and transparent manner in front of both a judge, and a jury composed of his peers.” The league will reject Miami’s request for arbitration if it is really committed to “ending racism”, as it has repeatedly stated. It is impossible to eradicate race discrimination behind closed doors. The integrity of the game rests on transparency.