Washington, DC (Sports Network) - The suspensions of five NFL players, which were levied earlier this week for violations of the league's anti-doping policy, were blocked by a federal judge in St. Paul on Friday.
U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson issued a preliminary injunction against the suspensions of New Orleans' Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith, and Minnesota's Pat Williams and Kevin Williams.
The players will thereby be able to play this weekend, and Magnuson will later issue a full decision in the case.
The NFL had suspended each on Tuesday for four games, and therefore they would have been benched for this weekend's games. They had tested positive for a banned diuretic, Bumetanide, which may serve as a masking agent for steroids.
But the suspensions of those five players were challenged in a lawsuit filed Thursday by the NFL Players Association.
Judge blocks suspensions of five NFL players....
NEW YORK (AP) — Six players, including the heart of the Minnesota Vikings' stout defensive line, were suspended for four games without pay by the NFL on Tuesday for violating the league's anti-doping policy.
All six were punished for using a diuretic, which can serve as a masking agent for steroids.
The suspended players were running back Deuce McAllister and defensive linemen Charles Grant and Will Smith of New Orleans; defensive linemen Kevin and Pat Williams of Minnesota; and long snapper Bryan Pittman of Houston.
The punishment means all six will miss the end of the regular season, an especially harsh blow to Minnesota, which relies heavily on the Williamses in its run defense, which ranks second in the league.
Angelo Wright, the agent for Pat Williams, said he planned to file a motion in federal court in the next 24 hours, presumably to put off his client's suspension.
A seventh player, Atlanta's Grady Jackson, was not suspended. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Jeff Pash, the league's chief counsel, had asked for additional information.
If a player's team makes the playoffs, the player will be eligible to return to the active roster on Dec. 29.
The suspension of Pat and Kevin Williams, who are not related, may prove to be the most critical.
NFL suspends six players for doping violations....
