Fifa hit nail on head with Suarez sanction

It’s a hard act to follow in terms of utter vulgarity, but, yet again, Luis Suarez gave it a go. As horrific as his bite on Giorgio Chiellini was, the aftermath only reinforced the act as those around him have been throwing themselves in front of the hail of bullets, looking to condone and defend what amounts to animalistic savagery.

His lawyer and Uruguayan FA member Alejandro Balbi appeared on national radio on Wednesday with a bizarre viewpoint: “You shouldn’t forget we’re rivals of many and we can be for the organiser [hosts Brazil] in the future. This does not go against what might have happened, but there’s no doubt Suarez is a rock in the shoe for many.”

He was far from alone with a maddening and worrying take on it all. Indeed on Wednesday night in Rio de Janeiro, sources say the heavyweights of South American football showed up looking for leniency. But it’s against that vile background and a complete lack of morality Fifa have stood tall and stood strong. So easily open to criticism for their ethics, even amidst the cost of this tournament, never mind the issues around future World Cups, here they deserve much credit for doing the right thing. In banning the striker for nine international games and from all football for four months you got the feeling this was the nail on the head.