Williamses' Case Moved To Federal Court

From Rochelle Olsen of The Star-Tribune

The National Football League successfully moved the legal action involving Vikings defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams to federal court today.

The NFL action came the morning after Hennepin County District Court Judge Gary Larson issued a temporary restraining order allowing the players to return to practice with the team. It’s unclear if or when a hearing will be scheduled. The  case is listed as filed with U.S. District Court Judge David Doty.Lawyers for the NFL, Joe Schmitt of Minneapolis and Dan Nash of Washington, D.C., did not return calls.

The Williamses were suspended for four games by the NFL on Tuesday for violating the league’s policy on anabolic steroids and related substances. The suspensions came two days after the Vikings moved into sole possession of first place in the NFC North with a victory over Chicago.

The two Vikings were among six NFL players suspended for using a diuretic that can serve as a masking agent for steroids. The players took a product known as StarCaps, a weight-loss pill manufactured by California-based Balanced Health Products. An NFL-banned product known as bumetanide was in the pills but not listed as an ingredient. It has been disputed whether the league acknowledged that it knew of the presence of bumetanide in StarCaps.

The National Football League Players Association also has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Williams and three other suspended players. A hearing on that matter is expected to occur Friday before Judge Paul Magnuson. No time has been announced

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