Report: NFLPA sent players phone number to report COVID-19 violations
The NFL Players Association sent players a phone number for them to report teams' violations of the COVID-19 protocols, sources told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
Players can text the number, and they'll remain anonymous, Garafolo adds. The union is allowed to file a grievance on players' behalves for violations.
"Our player affairs staff is taking the health and safety of players seriously," NFLPA's assistant executive director of external affairs George Atallah said, according to Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated. "We set this up to ensure players felt comfortable at their workplace, but also to ensure they know we would act if they didn't feel safe."
"Clubs are strictly prohibited from retaliating, in any way, against any person for reporting a violation of these protocols (regardless of whether the report is proven to be accurate)," NFL vice president of communications Brian McCarthy wrote in an email, according to Prewitt.
The NBA also implemented an anonymous hotline to report protocol violations in its bubble in Orlando. The hotline quickly was nicknamed the "snitch line" and became a topic of parody videos.
The NFL and NFLPA signed the revised collective bargaining agreement Monday to play the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic. The league will administer COVID-19 tests to players daily throughout the first two weeks of training camp.
The recently-finalized CBA also includes potential fines for the players.
New NFL fines for this year (maximum amounts):
- Ben Volin (@BenVolin) August 4, 2020
*Refusal to take a Covid test: $50k
*Refusal to wear a mask, wear tracking device, or maintain social distancing: $14,650 each after a written warning
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