St. Louis Rams linebacker David Vobora was awarded $5.4 million by a U.S. District Court Judge on Friday in a lawsuit against a Florida supplement maker.
Vobora tested positive for methyltestosterone, a substance banned by the NFL, during the 2009 season. As a result he was suspended four games under the league's substance abuse policy. At the time Vobora claimed his innocence by saying the spray product he used was contaminated and that he was unaware it contained steroids.
Vobora pursued a lawsuit against Anti-Steroid Program LLC, also known as S.W.A.T.S. On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Rodney W. Sippel ruled in favor of Vobora, saying the company intentionally misrepresented the supplement against Missouri law.
"This monumental judgment cleared my family's name," Vobora said in a statement. "We stuck together through threats, ridicule, and unfair stigma. Finally vindicated, I'm relieved that I can refocus on football and help the St. Louis Rams get back to the playoffs when the lockout ends. I'm grateful the Rams organization believed in my character through this trying process."
The $5.4 million award was determined by lost NFL compensation and marketing opportunities as well as $2 million for defamation to Vobora's name. The award is believed to be the most any athlete has ever gotten from a supplement company after being suspended, according to Vobora's attorney R. Daniel Fleck.
"This case should be a warning to all supplement companies to improve their manufacturing processes and ensure their products are steroid-free," Fleck said in a statement.
