Luis Suarez was yesterday handed a four-month ban from all football-related activity after being found guilty of biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in Tuesday’s World Cup clash in Natal.
Suarez was also given a nine-match ban from competitive internationals and a fine of 82,000 euros.
It means Suarez will miss the rest of the World Cup and the start of the new Premier League season with Liverpool, though his ban from all football-related activity does not preclude a possible transfer this summer.
Depending on how Uruguay fare at this summer’s tournament, the nine-match international ban may well rule Suarez out from helping his country defend their Copa America title in Chile next year.
The Uruguay FA and Suarez himself can appeal the sanction but the ban will stand until that process has been completed.
A Fifa statement read: “The player Luis Suarez is to be suspended for nine official matches. The first match of this suspension is to be served in the upcoming Fifa World Cup fixture between Colombia and Uruguay on June 28, 2014.
“The remaining match suspensions shall be served in Uruguay’s next Fifa World Cup match(es), as long as the team (remains in the competition), and/or in the representative team’s subsequent official matches.
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