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Judge vacates Brady’s ‘Deflategate’ ban
New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady’s “Deflategate” suspension was thrown out by a federal judge in New York yesterday, following a seven-month standoff between the National Football League and its players union.
US District Judge Richard Berman vacated NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s decision in July to uphold Brady’s four-game suspension over his alleged role in a scheme to deflate footballs used during a January playoff victory.
Goodell’s ruling, Berman found, was plagued by “several significant legal deficiencies”, including a failure to notify Brady beforehand that his alleged conduct could be punished by suspension.
“The court finds that Brady had no notice that he could receive a four-game suspension for general awareness of ball deflation by others or participation in any scheme to deflate footballs,” Berman wrote.
The ruling is unlikely to be the last word on the matter. The NFL can appeal Berman’s decision, a process that will take months to resolve.
Brady can now take the field on September 10 when the Patriots open their season against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home. He had been suspended until an October 18 clash against the Indianapolis Colts.
Brady was suspended over the footballs used in the Patriots’ 45-7 postseason victory against the Colts that sent them to the Super Bowl, where they defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24.
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