Suarez to suffer as Fifa bites back
Suarez appeared to bite Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini towards the end of Uruguay’s 1-0 win, leaving teeth-marks on his shoulder.
Defender Diego Godin grabbed the vital goal to put Uruguay through two minutes later, when he rose to nudge home a corner and seal the victory and the three points in Natal, which sent the Italians home.
A Fifa spokesperson said: “We are awaiting the official match reports and will gather all the necessary elements in order to evaluate the matter.”
Fifa’s disciplinary code sets a maximum ban of 24 matches or two years, but the longest ban in World Cup history was eight games for Italy’s Mauro Tassotti for breaking Spain’s Luis Enrique’s nose in 1994 with an elbow.
Suarez has twice been banned for biting opponents — for 10 matches in 2013 for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic and in 2010 he was given a seven-game ban while playing for Ajax for biting PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal.
Fifa’s disciplinary code allows action to be taken retrospectively via video evidence even if the incident has been seen by the referee.
Article 77 of Fifa’s disciplinary code states the disciplinary committee is responsible for “sanctioning serious infringements which have escaped the match officials’ attention” and “rectifying obvious errors in the referee’s disciplinary decisions”.
Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce, the Northern Irishman who heads Fifa’s referees committee, expressed major concerns about Suarez’s actions.
He said: “I have watched the incident several times on television. There is no doubt Luis Suarez is a fantastic footballer but, once again, his actions have left him open to severe criticism.
“Fifa must investigate the incident seriously and take whatever disciplinary action deemed necessary.”
Uruguay manager Oscar Tabarez claimed that Luis Suarez: “is the target of certain sections of the press”. Tabarez insisted he had not seen a replay of the incident.
“I would like to see it (a replay of the bite) first,” said the manager.
“If it happened, then I think the referee had to have seen it first. I didn’t see the incident and I don’t want anyone to speak for me about it.
“Suarez, in addition to errors that he may have made, is a target for certain sections of the media.”
Tabarez faced repeated questions about Suarez’s bite, but refused to criticise his star man.
“If we believe people are attacking him, as has happened in this press conference, then we’re going to defend him,” he said.
“He’s a vital player, a very important person to the group.”
Italy boss Cesare Prandelli — who went on to resign — confirmed he had seen the bite marks.
He said: “I didn’t see Suarez biting him but I saw the bite-marks on his shoulder but the referee’s assistants were so busy they didn’t see anything.
“It’s a shame, it’s a real shame that it turned out like this.”
Chiellini said it was “ridiculous” that Suarez had not been sent off while Italy’s Claudio Marchisio was for a high foot on Arevalo Rios.
Chiellini, who showed the referee the bite marks, said: “The disparity in judgement has been evident.
“Marchisio’s sending off was ridiculous but more so the fact that Suarez wasn’t sent off.
“There’s an inclination to protect star players but the referee should have shown him a red card.
“The gesture is clear. Referees document themselves on players and Suarez has a very clear history. The referee has given a clear address, he hasn’t spoken throughout the game. These are episodes that condition. The only way they could have hurt us was from set pieces and so it was.
“There will be talk of failure but I would something to say about it. We are not happy with how things have gone but we were the only ones to deserve to progress to the next round.”
Suarez played down the controversy of his latest alleged biting incident as he hailed Uruguay’s march into the World Cup knockout stages.
“These things happen in the box,” Suarez was quoted as telling Uruguayan media.
“We were in contact, chest against shoulder, and I got a knock to the eye.”
Luis Suarez has found himself at the centre of another biting storm after a clash with Giorgio Chiellini in Uruguay’s World Cup clash with Italy last night.
Here are some of the previous controversies surrounding the Liverpool striker.
Makes his international debut for Uruguay against Colombia but is sent off in the final minutes after being shown a second yellow card for dissent.
Joins Ajax from Uruguayan side Nacional but he is later suspended by the Dutch giants after a half-time dressing-room altercation with team-mate Albert Luque.
During the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals, Suarez prevents Ghana’s Dominic Adiyiah from scoring in the final minute with a deliberate handball on the line and is subsequently sent off. A penalty was awarded but missed by Asamoah Gyan and footage showed Suarez celebrating on the sidelines. Uruguay eventually went through to the last four on penalties.
Handed a seven-match ban by the Dutch FA and fined by his club for biting PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal during an Eredivisie match.
Following his move to Liverpool in January 2011, he was involved in a tackle with Everton’s Jack Rodwell and went down with apparent minimal contact. Rodwell was then sent off.
Alleged to have racially abused Manchester United’s Patrice Evra during a Premier League match. Later found guilty by an independent regulatory commission, banned for eight matches and fined £40,000.
Seen making an offensive gesture towards Fulham fans. At this time he had already been charged by the FA over the racism incident, although not yet punished, but was handed a further one-match ban for the gesture.
United and Liverpool meet again at Old Trafford, but more controversy blows up as Suarez refuses to shake Evra’s hand before kick-off.
Celebrates a goal against Everton by diving in front of Toffees boss David Moyes, who had earlier claimed that ”divers” such as Suarez were putting fans off the English game.
Handles the ball prior to scoring Liverpool’s winner in the FA Cup third-round tie at Mansfield.
Bites Branislav Ivanovic on the arm but escapes punishment on the pitch as the referee fails to see it, and scores Liverpool’s equaliser seven minutes into stoppage time as they draw 2-2 with Chelsea at Anfield. Fined by club the following day and charged with violent conduct by the FA. Subsequently handed a 10-match ban by an independent regulatory commission, which Liverpool opt not to appeal.
Television replays show Suarez moving his head towards Chiellini, who responded by swinging an arm before chasing the referee to apparently insist he had been bitten on his shoulder.
A Norwegian punter won 5,600 Norwegian Kroner (almost €675) after his gamble on Luis Suarez biting another player during the World Cup came in last night.
Thomas Syversen placed a bet of 32 kroner (€3.84) on Suarez biting another play during the tournament at odds of 174/1.
Amazingly, the Liverpool player duly obliged last night, taking a nibble out of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.
