TORONTO (AP) — Amid the NFL’s domestic violence scandals, Gary Bettman says the NHL has been proactive about off-ice conduct.
Speaking at The Canadian Club of Toronto, the NHL commissioner did not specifically address football’s problems but said hockey has tried to stay ahead of similar issues by educating players. Bettman added that sports can be a “vehicle for positive social change.”
Asked about NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Bettman says he “can relate to being a subject of media scrutiny.” Bettman says any mistake is magnified in a highly visible job.
Goodell has faced widespread criticism for the way he handled the suspension of now ex-Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice after video showed him punching his then-fiancee in an elevator.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson is charged with child abuse in Texas for using a tree branch to spank his 4-year-old son.
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