Friday 5 August 2016 07:31, UK
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has had his suspension and fine reinstated after a US appeals court ruled against him.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell punished Peterson in 2014 after the 31-year-old pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of beating his four-year-old son with a narrow tree branch as punishment.
The penalties - including a minimum six-game suspension and lost pay of $4m - were upheld by arbitrator Harold Henderson only for a federal judge in February 2015 to reverse the decision, allowing Peterson to play and become the league's leading rusher that year.
But a three-judge appeals panel has ruled that Henderson acted within his authority when he upheld the league's original punishment.
The NFL players union said it disagreed with the latest decision but would accept it.
"Our union pursues all claims because we believe in due process, fundamental fairness and in the spirit of collective bargaining agreements," read a statement.
"While the NFLPA disagrees with the decision, we accept this loss. When negotiation or collective bargaining fails to resolve our differences, we will always fight and pursue every recourse for our players' rights."
