FIFA reject Luis Suarez`s appeal against four-month biting ban

Zee Media Bureau/Dattaraj Thaly

New Delhi: Uruguay Football Federation and Luis Suarez`s appeal against his four-month ban from being involved in any football activity has been rejected by FIFA. FIFA`s disciplinary committee imposed a ban on the Uruguay striker after he bit Italy`s Georgio Chiellini in a Group D match during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The ban prohibited the Liverpool star from playing in Uruguay`s next nine international games and also included a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs. Uruguay Football Federation and Luis Suarez had lodged an appeal against this sanction hoping FIFA would reduce the ban. Delia Fischer, FIFA`s head of media told a news conference in Rio de Janeiro: “The FIFA appeal committee has decided to reject the appeals lodged by both the Uruguayan player Luis Suárez and the Uruguayan FA, and to confirm the decision rendered by the FIFA disciplinary committee on June 25, 2014 in its entirety. The terms of the decision taken by the FIFA appeal committee were communicated to the player and the Uruguayan FA today. The relevant decision is not yet final and binding, i.e. an appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport is still possible by the player and/or the Uruguayan FA, subject to certain conditions." The initial decision of the disciplinary committee was governed by the fact there was no apology from Suarez after the incident, especially this being the third time he had bitten an opponent on a football field. The 27-year-old was asked to leave the Uruguay camp at the World Cup by FIFA, following which he issued an apology to Chiellini. If Suarez decides against appealing in the Court of Arbitration of Sport, he will have to stay away from any football activity untill the end of October. However, this decision by FIFA does not affect his impending move from Liverpool to Barcelona and both clubs can continue to complete the transfer.