World football’s governing body have dismissed pleas from both the Uruguayan FA and the player himself over his bite on Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini
Fifa’s Appeal Committee has rejected pleas from Luis Suarez and the Uruguayan FA over the striker’s punishment for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini and has upheld its sanctions.
Suarez was handed a record four-month ban from any kind of football-related activity by world football’s governing body back in June after being found guilty of biting an opponent for the third time in his chequered career.
The Liverpool striker was also handed a nine-match international suspension and an €82,000 fine.
“The Fifa Appeal Committee has decided to reject the appeals lodged by both the Uruguayan player Luis Suarez and the Uruguayan FA and to confirm the decision rendered by the Fifa Disciplinary Committee on 25 June 2014 in its entirety,” an official statement reads.
“The terms of the decision taken by the Fifa Appeal Committee were communicated to the player and the Uruguayan FA on Thursday.
“The relevant decision is not yet final and binding, i.e. an appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) is still possible (cf. art. 67 par. 1 of the Fifa Statutes) by the player and/or the Uruguayan FA, subject to certain conditions.”
The punishment does not prevent Suarez from moving clubs this summer and he is on the brink of completing his sensational transfer from Liverpool to Barcelona after the terms of a deal worth just over €88 million were agreed on Wednesday.
Barcelona have captured Suarez in a straight cash deal after agreeing to meet the release clause in the Liverpool contract he signed last December.
It is believed that Suarez will undergo initial medical examinations from Barca doctors in his native Uruguay, where he has been staying following his country’s elimination from the World Cup.
The 27-year-old will not be allowed to play for Barcelona until October 26, when his four-month worldwide ban expires.