Luis Suarez hit with 9-match suspension, also banned 4 months from all football-related activity
FIFA has dropped the hammer on Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez in light of his latest biting incident involving Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on Tuesday.
DISCIPLINARY: Uruguay’s Luis Suarez suspended for 9 matches & banned for 4 months from any football-related activity.
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) June 26, 2014
The nine-match ban refers solely to the national team, which means he will miss the Round of 16 contest against Colombia while also sitting out next year's Copa America. Suffice it to say, this is a massive blow to Uruguay's chances at both competitions.
The four-month suspension from any football-related activity, meanwhile, means he will not be allowed to train or play with Liverpool until November 1st.
Suarez, 27, will miss the Reds' opening three Champions League matches.
During the period of the suspension, he will also not be able to enter any stadiums to watch matches, meaning he will not be there to see his team take on Colombia, nor will he be present during Liverpool's opening months of the season.
After some confusion over FIFA's admission that he was banned from any "administrative" duties, the governing body later confirmed that he will indeed be able to transfer during the period of his ban, if Liverpool wish to engage in such discussions with other clubs.
Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, released the following statement with regards to the ruling:
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 Suárez’s guilt in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Code. The decision comes into force as soon it is communicated.
You can read the entire press release from FIFA here.
The Uruguayan star has also been fined $112,000 for his latest transgression, the third such incident of his career.
- Bite 1: Otman Bakkal, 2010 - 7-match ban
- Bite 2: Branislav Ivanovic, 2013 - 10-match ban
- Bite 3: Giorgio Chiellini, 2014 - 9-match international ban, 4-month ban
With this latest ruling, Suarez will have missed 34 matches since 2010 (through suspension) by the time he returns to the pitch in all competitions. Incredibly, he has not received a red card for any of his three biting incidents.
The Uruguyan FA has confirmed that they will appeal the ruling. However, the appeal will not allow Suarez to play in the meantime, as FIFA made it a point to ensure he could not play while an appeal was being heard.