Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola was accused of punching a man in an August altercation, though no charges were filed in the incident.
Viola, according to a police report obtained by The New York Times, allegedly punched a concessions worker at a racehorse auction in Saratoga Springs, New York, on Aug. 8. Viola told police that the man had pushed his wife, who was attempting to help a woman who fainted, according to the report.
Officers said in the police report that the worker had a bloody lip and that the man said Viola had struck him in the face. He said he did not push Viola's wife, according to law enforcement officials.
However, the officers did not see the incident and neither the employee nor Viola wanted to press charges, Greg Veitch, chief of the Saratoga Springs Police Department, told the Times.
Viola has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as secretary of the Army. The 1977 West Point graduate retired from the Army as a major. He bought the Panthers in 2013.
A spokesman for Viola did not dispute whether he had punched the worker and said Viola had informed the presidential transition team about the incident.
"Mr. Viola will always stand up and defend his wife, and in this case there was a simple disagreement with the matter being dropped and no charges were filed," the spokesman said in a statement to the Times.
If the Senate approves Viola's nomination, then -- pending NHL approval -- ownership of the Panthers would remain in the Viola family, and his roles as chairman and governor of the club would be filled by Doug Cifu, a partner in the ownership group.
Viola's confirmation hearing has not been scheduled.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.