updated 7:26 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2005

MIAMI - An arbitration ruling that ordered Ricky Williams to repay the Miami Dolphins $8.6 million was upheld Tuesday by a federal judge, who rejected arguments that the award disregarded Florida law and was excessive.

U.S. District Judge James Cohn ruled arbitrator Richard Bloch was “well within the scope of his authority” in his interpretation of the case.

Bloch ruled in September that Williams breached his contract by abruptly retiring. Under the terms of that contract, the 2002 NFL rushing champion was required to repay the Dolphins $8.6 million in bonus money he had received, Bloch said.

Attorney Jeffrey Kessler, representing the NFL Players’ Association, said a decision would be made in the next several days regarding whether to appeal Cohn’s ruling to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta.

“We don’t think the judge got it right,” Kessler said. “We didn’t think his explanation as to why we didn’t win was very persuasive.”

Kessler conceded at a hearing Friday in Fort Lauderdale that the Dolphins were entitled to some damages. But he argued that the case should be returned to Bloch and the award amount reduced because the arbitrator’s ruling disregarded Florida law, which prohibits contracts from including penalty clauses.

Cohn said the public policy argument by Kessler and the NFLPA had some merit but was insufficient reason to vacate the arbitration award.

“They failed to establish that the arbitrator manifestly disregarded the law, or that enforcement of the award would violate public policy, or that the award is arbitrary and capricious,” the judge ruled.

Williams’ retirement last July sent the Dolphins reeling to a 4-12 season. He has been studying holistic medicine at a small college near Sacramento, Calif., and recently said he’s enjoying retirement.

Kessler said last week he didn’t know whether Williams had the money to repay the Dolphins.

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