banned from international football until April 30, 1998.

They were also suspended from local soccer until April 30, 1997.

The suspensions were announced yesterday by Bermuda Football Association president Mr. Richard Thompson who said the decisions were made after taking legal advice and consulting with international soccer bodies.

Last month the players pleaded no contest to charges of possessing marijuana.

A BFA statement said it was plain a no contest plea was not a "finding of innocence''.

"There is no question that the arrests of these players in Miami brought the good name of soccer into disrepute, the good name of Bermuda into disrepute and the good name of the Bermuda Football Association into disrepute. Only if the players had been found innocent of all charges would the BFA have felt it was justified in dropping the suspensions altogether.'' Full story -- Sport, Page 27