Two baseball players sue Al Jazeera America

Two major league baseball players have filed defamation lawsuits against Al Jazeera America over statements made in a documentary about performance-enhancing drugs in sports.

The players — Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals and Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies — filed the suits Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Washington. The suits refer to the documentary "The Dark Side: Secrets of Sports Doping," which Al Jazeera America broadcast Dec. 27.

The suit alleges that Charles Sly, a pharmacist who appeared in the documentary, made false statements when he said Zimmerman and Howard took human growth hormone (HGH).

The documentary also suggested that Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning took HGH while recovering from neck surgery.

Each suit seeks an unspecified amount in damages.

A spokeswoman for Al Jazeera America says the network will not comment.

The Associated Press