A federal appeals in New York granted an administrative stay against Ezekiel Elliott's six-game suspension on Friday, freeing the Dallas Cowboy running back to play this weekend in the latest twist to the star's legal back-and-forth.

The ruling by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals was granted following a request on Elliott's behalf by the NFL Players Association.

It means Elliott can now play on Sunday in the Cowboys game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Elliott has been embroiled in a legal saga with the NFL after being issued a six-game suspension following a 13-month investigation into a domestic violence allegation in 2016.

Although Elliott faced no criminal charges from the case, the NFL probe found him to have been in breach of the league's personal conduct policy.

Elliott has bitterly contested the ban and so far has successfully fought to delay the activation of the suspension, playing in all seven of the Cowboys' regular season games in 2017.

A court ruling last week said the suspension would begin this weekend, but Friday's decision puts the case back on hold.

Elliott is only cleared for this weekend's game and he will be suspended for the November 12 clash with the Atlanta Falcons unless a panel of federal judges next week rules in his favour once more.

source: AFP