Skip navigation

NFL players union sues to block suspensions

Two Vikings, three Saints were suspended for violating anti-doping policy

Image: Williamses
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams (93) and Pat Williams (94) were among six NFL players suspended for four games each for violating the league's anti-doping policy.
Jim Mone / AP
Special feature
Sorting out pretenders from contenders
Tom Curran breaks down the NFL teams who aren't Super Bowl threats (Panthers) from the ones who are (Giants).

NBC Sports

Video
  King's Notebook: Week 11
Nov. 22: Dan Patrick and Peter King break down the wild finish in Detroit, highlighting the clutch play of Matthew Stafford and the decision making of Eric Mangini.

NBC Sports

Video: Football from NBC Sports
Chiefs making progress
Nov. 22: Kansas City QB Matt Cassel says every win, especially one over a team like Pittsburgh, is huge.

Slideshow
Denver Broncos v Washington Redskins
  Sideline support
Check out some of the NFL cheerleaders from across the league.

more photos

updated 2:45 p.m. ET Dec. 5, 2008

MINNEAPOLIS - A federal judge in St. Paul is hearing arguments whether five players suspended under the NFL’s anti-doping policy should be reinstated.

Kevin Williams and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings and Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith of the New Orleans Saints are hoping to have their four-game suspensions lifted. They tested positive for a banned diuretic in a dietary supplement called StarCaps.

Players union attorney Jeff Kessler argued Friday that the NFL didn’t properly inform the players about the substance. The union has claimed a league doctor withheld specific information about the diuretic.

Story continues below ↓
advertisement | your ad here

NFL attorney Dan Nash argued that claim — and others — have already been heard and rejected under an arbitration process in the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sponsored links