By Andrew Warshaw in Brazil
June 28 – Waving national flags and carrying banners accusing FIFA of a conspiracy, hundreds of Uruguay fans gave Luis Suarez a hero’s welcome when he returned to the country following his record World Cup ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini as the severity of the punishment split world opinion.
Uruguay will be without their best player for their second-round match against Colombia on Saturday though it is understood the Uruguayan FA plans to appeal the four-month ban, which prohibits Suarez from all football activities and covers Uruguay’s next nine international games, which also rules him out of next year’s Copa America. It will also keep him out of the first third of Liverpool’s season.
“It feels like Uruguay has been thrown out of the World Cup,” Uruguayan FA president Wilmar Valdez said in Rio while Diego Suarez, the striker’s youngest brother who is also a player, called the sanction an “unbelievable” decision.
At the time of the bite, Suarez escaped unpunished as the referee did not see the incident. However, following worldwide condemnation, FIFA’s disciplinary panel issued a record suspension.
Chiellini himself was surprised at the length of the ban.
Writing on his personal website Chiellini said: “I have always considered unequivocal the disciplinary interventions by the competent bodies, but at the same time I believe that the proposed formula is excessive.
“Now inside me there’s no feelings of joy, revenge or anger against Suarez for an incident that happened on the pitch and that’s done. There only remains the anger and the disappointment about the match. At the moment my only thought is for Luis and his family, because they will face a very difficult period.”
However, one of Suarez’s sponsors, online gambling firm 888poker, said it had “decided to terminate its relationship” with “immediate effect”.
Suarez joined 888poker as a worldwide ambassador shortly before the World Cup, and produced several video diaries for the website during the tournament.
Suarez’s boot deal with Adidas could also be in jeopardy after the sportswear manufacturer announced it would consider its partnership with the Uruguay striker who had denied the allegations against him, claiming Chiellini had bumped into him.
Suarez’s lawyer, Alejandro Balbi, said his client was “totally distraught” while Liverpool are understood to be reserving judgment over the way forward until the dust settles, with Real Madrid and Barcelona both linked with him.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734958347labto1734958347ofdlr1734958347owedi1734958347sni@w1734958347ahsra1734958347w.wer1734958347dna1734958347