Ray Rice Wins Appeal Against NFL Suspension

 Ray Rice, the ex -running back for the Baltimore Ravens, has won an appeal against his indefinite suspension from the National Football League matches following his involvement in a domestic dispute case.

Rice was suspended initially for two games by the NFL in July for punching and knocking down unconscious his then fiancée and now wife Janay Palmer in a hotel elevator.

But with the public disclosure of the videotape of his assault, the two match suspension was turned indefinite by the NFL, who could not deny the evidence.

But Rice has appealed his suspension claiming that he was punished twice for his violation. The NFL's defense was that they were unaware of the seriousness of the assault and had initially thought it was  a small dispute,  but had to change their punishment after viewing the video.

Rice says he made a full disclosure to the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell  and did not hold anything back.  

Rice appealed the NFL's decision at a hearing in early November.

 Goodell testified before arbitrator Barbara S. Jones, a former U.S. District court judge, who overturned the suspension after slapping Goodell on the wrist for initially overlooking the seriousness of the issue.

''We respect Judge Jones's decision to reinstate Ray Rice from his indefinite suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy in an incident of domestic violence,'' NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email to The Associated Press.

Rice was released by Baltimore in September and is a free agent now.