The controversial Ray Rice video was released by TMZ Sports on Monday, showing the full incident involving the Baltimore Ravens running back and his then-fiancée Janay Palmer. And after watching the full video, the National Football League announced that the 27-year-old will be suspended indefinitely, while the Ravens terminated his contract.
The running back was originally suspended for two games after the Ray Rice video showing him dragging Palmer went viral online, but the NFL determined that he deserves stiffer sanction after the full incident was shown, including the punch that knocked Palmer out cold inside the elevator.
"Roger Goodell has announced that based on new video evidence that became available today he has indefinitely suspended Ray Rice," the NFL said in a statement via ESPN.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello also said in a statement that the league asked for the Ray Rice video before, but authorities failed to provide the footage that they are looking for. Aiello insisted that league officials did not see the incident until TMZ Sports released the video on Monday.
"We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator," Aiello insisted. "That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today."
Rice's attorney Michael Diamondstein and the NFL Players Association declined to comment on the suspension and termination of the six-year veteran's contract, while Ravens coach John Harbaugh said that he will address the issue soon.
In August, NFL commissioner Goodell announced that the league will hand stiffer sanctions for domestic violence. First offense would lead to a six-game suspension, while a second offense could lead to a lifetime ban depending on the result of the player's appeal a season after his suspension.
Goodell also admitted during the announcement that he made a wrong decision in suspending Rice for just two games - a suspension that was highly criticized by experts and huge number of fans online.
"My disciplinary decision led the public to question our sincerity, our commitment, and whether we understood the toll that domestic violence inflicts on so many families. I take responsibility both for the decision and for ensuring that our actions in the future properly reflect our values," Goodell said last month.
