Burress entitled to money

The decision means the Giants, who released Burress last week, must pay him the $1 million, (£679,000) that his been withheld from his $4.25m (£2.89m) signing bonus since the shooting, The New York Times reported on its website.

Burress was arrested in December and charged with criminal possession of a weapon after his gun accidentally discharged while tucked into his trousers, with the bullet wounding his leg.

NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith applauded the ruling, which also applies to the Kansas Chiefs running back Larry Johnson.

"It means that clubs can't impose additional discipline by claiming back signing or roster bonus monies after a suspension, either by a club or the league," Smith said.

The Giants and the NFL disagreed.

"We are very disappointed with the decision," Giants president John Mara said.

"To think that a player could carry a loaded gun into a nightclub, shoot himself and miss the rest of the season but get to keep his entire signing bonus illustrates one of the serious flaws in the current system."

The NFL said: "(The ruling) continues an unfortunate trend of permitting players who are suspended due to serious misconduct to nonetheless retain large bonus payments from their NFL teams."

Johnson, who was suspended by the NFL for one game last year for violating its personal conduct policy, is entitled to keep one-fourth of the 2008 portion of his signing bonus or about $521,000 (£354,000), The Kansas City Star reported on its website.

He also would be paid his full salary of $4.55m (£3.09m) if he plays for the Chiefs this year.

The arbitrator, however, ruled that although Johnson's contract called for him to be paid $3.75m (£2.5m) in 2009 and 2010 - whether he played for the Chiefs or not - the money was no longer guaranteed.

Johnson forfeited the guaranteed payments when he was suspended, the arbitrator ruled.