http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/17/sports/football/adrian-petersons-path-to-reinstatement-is-bogged-down-in-nfls-complex-process.html 2014-11-17 03:04:01 Adrian Peterson’s Path to Reinstatement Is Bogged Down in N.F.L.'s Complex Process Peterson, the Vikings running back suspended during a child abuse investigation, skipped a disciplinary hearing on Friday and had an arbitration hearing scheduled Monday. === When the To cool the crisis, the league put Peterson on leave with pay until his legal case was resolved. This month, The league, though, has yet to reinstate him, so Peterson filed a grievance. On Monday, Shyam Das, an arbitrator who has worked on notable cases, including one involving a bounty system used by several New Orleans Saints coaches and players, will hear Peterson’s case. Peterson’s lawyers are likely to cite a letter sent to the N.F.L.’s chief counsel, Jeff Pash, in September by the N.F.L. Players Association that noted that Peterson would remain on the list only until “the criminal charges currently pending against him are adjudicated.” Even if Das decides that Peterson should be reinstated because his criminal case has been resolved, the N.F.L. may still punish him beyond the nine-game suspension he has already served. It appears to be willing to do so without feedback from Peterson. Peterson and union representatives failed to show up for a hearing on Friday to review his case and gave no reason for their absence, according to a league official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the case. “We had hoped that Adrian would take advantage of his opportunity to be heard and present whatever information he believes should be considered before a decision on discipline, counseling and services is made,” the league official said. “Because he and the N.F.L.P.A. elected not to do so, we will have to address this based on the information currently available to us.” In a statement on Sunday, Peterson said he had not attended the hearing because the union had told him it “was something new and inconsistent” with common disciplinary meetings, and because the league had failed to explain the purpose of the hearing or the need for people other than N.F.L. officials to be there.  “The process they are pushing is arbitrary, inconsistent, and contrary to what they agreed to do, and for those reasons, I never agreed to the hearing,” Peterson said. Complicating matters, Peterson’s disciplinary hearing and his appeal seeking reinstatement are happening as Barbara Jones, a former United States District Court judge, considers whether the former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was treated unfairly when he was suspended indefinitely in September after video was released showing him punching his then-fiancée. Rice and the league pleaded their cases at a two-day hearing this month. The N.F.L. has been scrambling to overhaul its personal conduct policy in the wake of the debate over its handling of the Rice case. One of the effects of that controversy is that Commissioner Though no formal decision has been made about whether arbitrators will be used in all future cases, it is notable that an independent arbitrator was chosen to hear Peterson’s appeal. “You will see a trend away from the N.F.L. controlling everything,” said Mark Conrad, who teaches sports law at Fordham University’s School of Business, referring to the league’s personal conduct policy. “I don’t think the owners will want to do it all at once because it would be a sign of weakness.” To avoid ad hoc responses to player conduct cases in the future, the union has called on the N.F.L. to collectively bargain any changes to its personal conduct policy, which allows the commissioner broad discretion to penalize players. The league has said that it has consulted with the players and their union about potential changes to its personal conduct policy but that it remains the province of the league.