NFL players union seeks to block suspensions

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hDrvALKE-LxiwOnQaf9GgmB3tUhwD94S03UG0

By STEVE KARNOWSKI

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The NFL Players Association filed a lawsuit Thursday to block five of the six player suspensions for violating the league's anti-doping policy.

The suit filed in federal court here is on behalf of Kevin Williams and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings, and Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith of the New Orleans Saints.

The five players were suspended for four games for testing positive for the banned diuretic bumetanide, which can be used as a masking agent for steroids. The drug was in a dietary supplement, StarCaps, that did not list the diuretic as an ingredient.

The suit does not include Houston Texans long snapper Bryan Pittman. David Cornwell, Pittman's lawyer, told the AP that his client isn't included because his circumstances "differ substantially from the men who used StarCaps."

In the lawsuit, the NFLPA alleges both the NFL-appointed doctor and the NFL lawyer who administer the league's steroids policy knew the supplement contained the banned drug but never advised the players. It alleges they breached their duty to the players and endangered their physical well-being.

"It's just common sense that someone shouldn't be punished in those circumstances," David Feher, a lawyer for the union, told The Associated Press.

FULL story at link.

[MarkInCA]

1. So the NFL should warn about every supplement?

Screw these guys. If they are going to try and boost their normal athletic ability it should be up to them to know what they are using.

I don't believe for a second that these players didn't take the supplement knowing it contained a masking agent.

[hoplophile]

2. Have to agree with that statement.

It falls to the players responsibility to know what are in their supplements.

[MNDemNY]

3. So, are you accusing them of taking steroids?

[MarkInCA]

5. I think it is likely that they were

Steroid abuse is still rampant in professional sports.

Regardless of the steroid issue, they took a supplement with a banned substance. Break the rules, suffer the consequences.

It's like a college athletic department whining because they didn't know a recruiting practice was against the rules. It is their job to know the rules. NFL athletes are all highly skilled, well paid employees of their teams and should be responsible enough to make sure that they follow the rules.

I don't buy the ignorance plea.

[hoplophile]

6. What I am saying is that they took something they were not supposed to.

They got caught and plead ignorance of what they were taking. That does not fly. If they were eating too much broccoli that's one thing. But that's not the case. They were taking pill form supplements and THEY are responsible for knowing what is in the pills.

[atreides1]

4. Are these grown men???

Do they have their mommies tuck them in at night and tell them bedtime stories, before leaving the nite lite on to scare away the monsters under their beds?

Maybe getting paid all that money has had a terrible affect on their minds, or maybe they just got hit too many times! But, like the current administrations attitude it's always someone else's fault, and personal responsibility isn't a quality that these 5 players
possess.

All I have to say is that ignorance is not an excuse, and intentional ignorance just makes you look stupid!