Suspension controversy

Vikings tackles stop the NFL suspensions

Last updated: 4th December 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Suspension controversy

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Minnesota Vikings stars Pat and Kevin Williams have obtained court orders temporarily blocking the NFL from implementing their doping bans.

The pair were among six players suspended by the governing body on Tuesday for violating the league's anti-doping policy.

Lawyers for the Pro Bowl tackles won a short-term reprieve from their respective four-game bans though after lawyers argued the league knew that the weight-loss supplement StarCaps - a product used by the players - contained the banned diuretic, although it was not listed on the label.

Both will be recalled to put their case forward more extensively at a later date and the NFL is vowing to fight the order, but for now the Vikings have their stars back.

"The program and the Collective Bargaining Agreement expressly bar precisely this kind of lawsuit," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.

"There is no merit to this lawsuit, and we will promptly seek to have the order reversed."