Crowell & Moring Statement: Federal Judge Blocks the NFL Suspension of Minnesota Vikings Players Kevin Williams and Pat Williams

New York, N.Y. - December 5, 2008: Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce that a federal judge on Friday blocked the NFL suspension of Crowell & Moring clients Kevin Williams and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings for allegedly violating the league's anti-doping policy. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson ruled in favor of continuing the Williamses' restraining order against the NFL, ordering that the NFL could not enforce a four game suspension against the Williamses.

Crowell & Moring partner Peter R. Ginsberg, who represents the Williamses, says, "We're very pleased with Judge Magnuson's ruling. The NFL must be held accountable for its actions against Kevin and Pat. The NFL comprised its own integrity by how it treated these players. Kevin and Pat have never tested positive for steroids nor have they knowingly taken any substance banned by the steroids program during their long and productive years in the NFL despite frequent and random drug testing."

Ginsberg continues, "The NFL deliberately sat on the sidelines and said nothing for two years as players like Pat and Kevin unknowingly ingested the potentially dangerous substance in StarCaps. Then, the NFL held these players out as scapegoats for not knowing the very facts it, the NFL, had chosen not to reveal. We have a long road ahead for Pat and Kevin to set the record straight and put their reputations back in order. We hope that this case will create an opportunity for the NFL to correct its problems and do the right thing by informing players going forward. Pat and Kevin are very pleased, and they're looking forward to putting this behind them and taking on Detroit."

A link to the Associated Press story with more background on this development follows: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3747957.

For interviews with Peter Ginsberg, please contact him directly at 212-895-4268.