Are the NHLs Internal Controls Effective?
Filed March 20, 2007 On March 11, 2007, New York Islanders forward Chris Simon was suspended for twenty-five games after striking opposing player Ryan Hollweg in the face with his stick. Though an average citizen would have faced criminal charges, such as aggravated assault, for smacking another person in the head with a hockey stick, athletes face different punishments due to the nature of their employment. Athletes are not charged criminally for violent acts performed during game play because leagues (such as the NHL) have internal controls designed to protect athletes from the law and to restrict behavior through fines, suspensions, and educational programs (such as anger management and drug rehabilitation). However, despite these controls, violence in sports has not diminished. In fact, Chris Simon has been suspended six times in the course of his NHL career. Four of those times were for violent acts. Despite the financial lose incurred by Simon during these suspensions, (his most
