Biter Luis Suarez Handed Nine-Match Ban, Out of World Cup
Uruguyan striker Luis Suarez barred from all football activities for four months.
Luis Suarez has been banned for nine matches and suspended for four months for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during a FIFA World Cup match on Tuesday. A FIFA disciplinary panel gathered evidence Wednesday on Suarez, 27, to reach a decision. Suarez has also been fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,000).
The FIFA's Disciplinary Committee decided that Suarez breached Article 48 par. 1 lit. d of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) (assault), and art. 57 of the FDC (an act of unsporting behaviour towards another player).
The first match of this suspension is to be served in the upcoming World Cup fixture between Colombia and Uruguay on June 28. (Also read: Five Long Bans in Football)
The remaining match suspensions shall be served in Uruguay's next FIFA World Cup match(es), as long as the team qualifies, and/or in the representative team's subsequent official matches in accordance with art. 38 par. 2a) of the FDC. (Also read: Eight Memorable World Cup Scandals and Shocks)
Suarez has been banned from taking part in any kind of football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) for a period of four (4) months in accordance with art. 22 of the FDC.
A stadium ban has also been pronounced against Suarez in accordance with art. 21 of the FDC as follows: the player Luis Suarez is prohibited from entering the confines of any stadium during the period of the ban (point 3). The player Luis Suarez is prohibited from entering the confines of any stadium in which the representative team of Uruguay is playing while he has to serve the nine-match suspension (point 2).
The decision was notified to the player and the Uruguayan FA on Thursday.
"Such behaviour 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.
The Disciplinary Committee took into account all the factors of the case and the degree of Mr Suarez's guilt in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Code. The decision comes into force as soon it is communicated," said Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.