Newsmakers

Seeking A bipartisan pair of lawmakers is seeking a national ban on performance-enhancing drugs in horse racing, calling for a federal role in a sport that lacks uniform standards. Under the legislation by Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., any person with three violations of the prohibition would be permanently banned from horse racing.

Ruled The Minnesota Supreme Court has cleared the way for the NFL to suspend Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Pat Williams, perhaps the final chapter in the closely watched anti-doping case. In a one-page order without comment, the court declined to consider Williams’ appeal of a decision that had gone against both Pat Williams and teammate Kevin Williams, who are not related. The order was signed Wednesday by Chief Justice Lorie Gildea and made public Thursday. The Williamses were initially suspended in 2008 for taking the weight-loss supplement StarCaps, which contains a banned diuretic called bumetanide that can mask the presence of steroids.

Cleared Swimmer Jessica Hardy, who missed the Beijing Olympics because of a doping violation, has been cleared for the London Games after the International Olympic Committee informed her she would not be subject to a contentious rule that threatened her eligibility. She has already served a one-year suspension after testing positive for clenbuterol, although the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that she was not at fault.

Sidelined Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne has been hospitalized for symptoms that could be related to an insect bite this month. Roush Fenway Racing officials say Bayne will not race this weekend at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Bayne was hospitalized briefly for a reaction to an insect bite on his elbow.

Injured Alabama long-snapper Carson Tinker was hurt in the storms that bombarded Tuscaloosa and other parts of the state, and Auburn’s national championship football team was forced to reschedule a trip to the White House. The weather also led to cancellations of high school and college sporting events. Tinker was in stable condition with undisclosed injuries at a Tuscaloosa area hospital. Auburn has not yet rescheduled the White House visit.