FIFA may extend Suarez ban

FIFA have confirmed that Uruguay striker Luis Suarez could miss the rest of the World Cup following his hand-ball against Ghana.

Suarez was given a straight red card for saving a goalbound-header on the line in extra-time, Ghana missed the resulting penalty and Uruguay went through to the semi-final after winning a shoot-out.

The striker will serve an automatic one-match ban ruling him out of the semi-final with Holland but FIFA’s disciplinary committee will look at the case to see whether he should also be suspended for Uruguay’s last match of the tournament – which will be either the final or the third-place play-off.

FIFA spokesman Pekka Odriozola told a media briefing: “For automatic red cards there is an automatic one-match suspension. The disciplinary committee also opens a case and they will be looking at that incident and taking a decision.”

FIFA’s disciplinary code gives the committee the option of a longer ban for “unsportsmanlike conduct”.

Suarez is being hailed as a hero in his home country but the incident has provoked condemnation in other parts of the world.

His action is also contrary to FIFA’s fair play code which states: “Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy, but brings no pleasure”.