The back-and-forth between the courts and the NFL continues regarding the four-game suspension of the Minnesota Vikings' two gargantuan defensive tackles, Kevin and Pat Williams. Thursday, Hennepin County District Court granted the players' request for a temporary restraining order, which means the players cannot be suspended at this time. Late last season, Williams and Wiliams -- All-Pro defensive tackles -- were slapped with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's drug policy. They had tested positive over the previous summer for bumetanide, a diuretic which is considered a masking agent for steroids. Neither ever have tested positive for any steroid, and it's easy to see why they'd be taking something to control their weight. This is what they say they were doing.
The players contested that they took StarCaps, a weight-loss supplement, and that the label didn't say it contained bumetanide. This is true. The NFL admitted it knew StarCaps contained the diuretic, which, in turn, triggered a lawsuit from the Williams boys (no relation). The NFL should have informed the players in the league not to take this substance, according to the two Williamses and their attorney.
At first, the suspensions were delayed. Earlier in the offseason, it appeared there would be no restraining order and the players would have to sit out the first four games of the 2009 regular season. With Thursdays decision, it's up in the air as to when (if?) they'll ever miss games due to suspension.
The next hearing is set for July 22, and the proceedings could take several months. It's possible the players are never suspended at all -- if they win -- or that they won't have to serve the suspensions until late in the season or next season.
One thing I can't help but shake in this situation is that the players still tested positive for a banned substance. A positive test is a positive test. It's not like they are being kicked out of football for life. It's a four-game suspension. Among people who discuss things like this with NFL players, it's pretty common knowledge that herds of players don't take anything like StarCaps, for fear they'll end up in the exact situation of the Vikings' two tackles.
Plus, when something is known as a steroids-masking agent, you'd think players nowadays would be paranoid to get caught with it -- for fear people would stigmatize them as a steroids-abuser (oh wait, that's only baseball players who have to worry about the stigma).
Prudence wasn't exercised here by the players, even if the league was negligent in not informing the players. Perhaps they should compromise? Two games? Don't bet on it. This is a fight which won't be concluded for quite a while.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-10-2009 @ 1:36AM
Kasey said...
The NFL will probably fight this bitterly because if the Williams tackles somehow win, that opens the door for future legal battles between the NFL and suspended players. They should probably just accept the suspensions because the NFL won't back down on this one.
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7-11-2009 @ 9:18AM
Tyson said...
I am an attorney and I agree with the Court's ruling. First, the law is that you can only be punish when you know something is wrong and yet do it, whether negligently or intentioally. Because the substance was not posted on the label, how could the Williams be on notice as to the banned substance existence in the supplement. It was reasonable for the Williams to assume that all substances are listed on the lable of the supplement. Second, if the NFL already know that the banned substance existed in the supplement, it too has an obligation to notify the players if it wishes to penalized the players who take the substance. The NFL negligently did not do this so it has unclean hands in the matter. Third, whether it is the NFL or otherwise, it is not above the law. The NFL, therefore has to operate within the parameters of the law, i.e. a person cannot be punish for something unless they knew it was wrong to do it, whether negliently or intentionally.
7-15-2009 @ 2:04PM
ANTON said...
That is what I don't understand either, these players took a legal drug that was not banned but had an ingredient that was banned but was not listed on the bottle. league officials knew a supplement called StarCaps contained a banned diuretic back in 2006 and did not specifically notify players or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Evidence shows a hotline for players to get information on such issues gave out false information about the supplement, and told players it was not banned. And they are facing a 4 game suspension, yet S. Holmes is caught with an illegal drug marijuana and gets a 1 game suspension. What kind of message is the NFL sending to young future players? Do illegal drugs instead of legal ones, less time on suspension.
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7-15-2009 @ 2:06PM
ANTON said...
That is what I don't understand either, these players took a legal drug that was not banned but had an ingredient that was banned but was not listed on the bottle. league officials knew a supplement called StarCaps contained a banned diuretic back in 2006 and did not specifically notify players or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Evidence shows a hotline for players to get information on such issues gave out false information about the supplement, and told players it was not banned. And they are facing a 4 game suspension, yet S. Holmes is caught with an illegal drug marijuana and gets a 1 game suspension. What kind of message is the NFL sending to young future players? Do illegal drugs instead of legal ones, less time on suspension.
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