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Charlotte, N.C. • The Panthers finally made a decision on Greg Hardy: the Pro Bowl defensive end will not play anymore games for Carolina until his domestic violence case is resolved.

The team removed Hardy from its active roster Wednesday, ending three weeks of indecision regarding his playing status. He played Week 1, sat out Week 2 and there was uncertainty about this week.

So the Panthers placed Hardy on the exempt-commissioner's permission list just hours after the Vikings took a similar disciplinary approach with Adrian Peterson. The Minnesota running back is addressing child abuse charges in Texas.

Hardy was convicted July 15 of assault on a female and communicating threats after the victim said the 6-foot-4, 275-pound player threw her in the bathtub and onto a sofa covered with guns before threatening to kill her. Hardy is appealing the ruling and a jury trial is set for Nov. 17.

He will continue to be paid his weekly salary of $770,588.23. Hardy also is allowed to be at the team facility, but will not practice.

Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said it was a tough decision given the changing climate in the NFL.

"Our overriding goal has always been to do the right thing," Gettleman said.

Around the league

Bills •Terry and Kim Pegula, the husband-and-wife team that owns the NHL Buffalo Sabres, had its NFL-record $1.4 billion purchase agreement to buy the Bills approved unanimously by the league's finance committee on Wednesday. The vote clears the way for NFL owners to formally approve the sale at league meetings on Oct. 7-8. The Pegulas will require three-quarters majority approval from the 32 owners, including the trust overseeing late Bills owner Ralph Wilson's estate.

Cardinals • Running back Jonathan Dwyer has been arrested on aggravated assault charges in connection with two altercations at his home in late July involving a 27-year-old woman and an 18-month-old child. The Cardinals said they became aware of the situation on Wednesday and are cooperating with the investigation. He has been deactivated from all team activities.Police say the victims are a 27-year-old woman and an 18-month-old child. One of the counts was "aggravated assault causing a fracture."

49ers • Colin Kaepernick was fined more than $11,000 by the NFL and said he will appeal the penalty for what an official called "inappropriate language" by the 49ers quarterback following a fourth-quarter interception in Sunday's 28-20 loss to the Bears. Kaepernick reiterated that he did nothing wrong when he and Chicago defensive end Lamarr Houston went at it.

NFL • The league finally will have HGH testing, perhaps as early as the end of this month. And of more immediate impact — this weekend — the new performance-enhancing drug policy the league and players' union agreed to Wednesday will allow the Broncos' Wes Welker and two other suspended players to return to the field.

Vikings • Linebacker Chad Greenway broke his left hand in last weekend's game against the New England Patriots and is questionable for the game on Sunday at New Orleans. Coach Mike Zimmer announced on Wednesday that Greenway had the injury. The veteran linebacker did not practice on Wednesday and said later that he was not sure if he would be able to play. ++—

Week 3 schedule

Thursday

• Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 6:25 p.m.

Sunday

11 a.m. games

• Dallas at St. Louis

• Minnesota at N.O.

• San Diego at Buffalo

• Washington at Philadelphia

• Houston at N.Y. Giants

• Tennessee at Cincinnati

• Baltimore at Cleveland

• Green Bay at Detroit

• Indianapolis at Jacksonville

• Oakland at New England

Afternoon games

• S.F. at Arizona. 2:05 p.m.

• Denver at Seattle,2:25 p.m.

• K.C. at Miami, 2:25 p.m.

• Pittsburgh at Carolina, 6:30 p.m.

Monday • Chicago at N.Y. Jets,6:30 p.m.