Filed under: Vikings, Sports Business and Media
The NFL's bid to have its case linked to how it enforces its substance abuse policy nationwide was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday.It was the final defeat for the league, which has been barred by a Minnesota court from suspending Vikings defensive linemen Kevin Williams and Pat Williams in the wake of their positive test for a banned duruietic more than two years ago. The Supreme Court declined to hear the league's appeal, which was posted on the court's order list.
"Today's decision does not address in any way the merits of the claims made by the players, which have been rejected by every federal and state court to consider them," the league said in a statement.
The lineman, who are not related, argued that the NFL didn't have a right to enforce its doping standards in Minnesota, but they lost their case. The judge, however, stayed the ruling in April pending their appeal in state appeals court, which will hear the case on Nov. 17. There's no set timetable when the decision would be announced.
The players claim they unknowingly ingested bumetanide found in the supplement StarCaps. Such drugs are banned because they can rapidly dilute urine to mask the presence of steroids. Under the strict liability standard used by all professional and Olympic sports, athletes are fully responsible for what substances they consume -- even if a violation was due to an adulterated supplement.
The NFL again advocated a bill pushed by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., legislation that would mandate the doping standards for all major sports leagues be accepted by every state. The bill was introduced in September and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
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