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FIFA bans Suárez for 4 months for biting opponent | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Uruguay’s Luis Suarez reacts after clashing with Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during their 2014 World Cup Group D soccer match at the Dunas arena in Natal in this June 24, 2014 file photograph. (Reuters/Tony Gentile)


Uruguay's Luis Suárez reacts after clashing with Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during their 2014 World Cup Group D soccer match at the Dunas arena in Natal in this June 24, 2014 file photograph. (Reuters/Tony Gentile)

Uruguay’s Luis Suarez reacts after clashing with Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during their 2014 World Cup Group D soccer match at the Dunas arena in Natal in this June 24, 2014 file photograph. (Reuters/Tony Gentile)

Rio De Janeiro, AP—FIFA banned Uruguay striker Luis Suárez from all football activities for four months on Thursday for biting an opponent at the World Cup, a punishment that rules him out of the rest of the tournament and the start of the upcoming English Premier League season.

The ban also covers Uruguay’s next nine international games, which goes beyond the next four months and rules him out of next year’s Copa América. FIFA also fined the Liverpool striker 100,000 Swiss francs (112,000 US dollars).

Suárez bit the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay’s 1–0 win in the group stage, but escaped unpunished as the referee did not see the incident.

“Such behavior cannot be tolerated on any football pitch and in particular not at a FIFA World Cup, when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field,” Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee, said in a statement.

“The Disciplinary Committee took into account all the factors of the case and the degree of Mr. Suárez’s guilt in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Code. The decision comes into force as soon it is communicated,” he added.

This is the third time Suárez has been banned for biting an opponent after similar incidents with Ajax in the Dutch league and Liverpool. He was given a 10-match ban by the Premier League for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanović toward the end of the 2012–13 season.

The FIFA ban is effective immediately, meaning Suárez will miss Uruguay’s round 16 game against Colombia on Saturday. By banning Suárez from all football activities, FIFA also prohibited him from even entering a stadium at the World Cup. It also stops him from training with Liverpool until the ban ends in late October.

“He cannot be actively involved” with the club, FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer said.

Suárez and the Uruguay football federation can appeal the sanctions, though Liverpool could not be formally involved in any legal challenge, Fischer said.

The four-month ban includes Liverpool’s first three Champions League group-stage games in the five-time European champions’ return to the competition after a five-year absence. Suárez will also miss the first nine matches of the Premier League.