LUIS SUAREZ HAS told FIFA’s disciplinary panel that he did not deliberately bite Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.
“In no way it happened how you have described, as a bite or intent to bite,” the Uruguay striker wrote in Spanish in a letter dated June 25.
The player’s defense is in paragraph 6 of FIFA’s disciplinary committee ruling, which has been seen by The Associated Press.
“After the impact … I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent,” Suarez wrote in his submission to the panel which met Wednesday, one day after Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 in a decisive group-stage match.
Advertisement
“At that moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth,” Suarez said.
Suarez holding his teeth as Chiellini protests. AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
However, the seven-man panel which met on Wednesday evening dismissed the argument.
The bite was “deliberate, intentional and without provocation,” the ruling stated in paragraph No. 26 of the panel’s conclusions.
Suarez was banned for nine Uruguay matches and four months from all football. He was also fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,000).
The panel, chaired by former Switzerland international Claudio Sulser, included members from the Cook Islands, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Panama, South Africa and Singapore.
The ruling confirmed that referee Marco Rodriguez of Mexico acknowledged in his match report that he missed Suarez’s bite. So did his two assistants and the fourth official.
I haven’t seen the incident because the ball was in another sector of the pitch,” Rodriguez writes in paragraph No. 4 of witness submissions in the 11-page document.
Suarez has also posted a message on Facebook and Twitter this afternoon thanking fans for their support:
“Hi all, I write this post to give thanks to the outpouring of support and love I am receiving,” he wrote.
“Both myself and my family really appreciate it. Thank you very much for being by my side and I want all my colleagues today we support selection for the match against Colombia.”
'I hit my face against the player' - Suarez denies biting Chiellini
LUIS SUAREZ HAS told FIFA’s disciplinary panel that he did not deliberately bite Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.
“In no way it happened how you have described, as a bite or intent to bite,” the Uruguay striker wrote in Spanish in a letter dated June 25.
The player’s defense is in paragraph 6 of FIFA’s disciplinary committee ruling, which has been seen by The Associated Press.
“After the impact … I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent,” Suarez wrote in his submission to the panel which met Wednesday, one day after Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 in a decisive group-stage match.
“At that moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth,” Suarez said.
However, the seven-man panel which met on Wednesday evening dismissed the argument.
The bite was “deliberate, intentional and without provocation,” the ruling stated in paragraph No. 26 of the panel’s conclusions.
Suarez was banned for nine Uruguay matches and four months from all football. He was also fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,000).
The panel, chaired by former Switzerland international Claudio Sulser, included members from the Cook Islands, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Panama, South Africa and Singapore.
The ruling confirmed that referee Marco Rodriguez of Mexico acknowledged in his match report that he missed Suarez’s bite. So did his two assistants and the fourth official.
Suarez has also posted a message on Facebook and Twitter this afternoon thanking fans for their support:
“Hi all, I write this post to give thanks to the outpouring of support and love I am receiving,” he wrote.
“Both myself and my family really appreciate it. Thank you very much for being by my side and I want all my colleagues today we support selection for the match against Colombia.”
He drives me crazy but Suárez is no fine young cannibal
Bafetimbi Gomis has signed for Swansea – but doesn’t seem know which country it’s in
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
CL All-Ireland Senior HC giorgio chiellini Luis Suarez Italy Uruguay World Cup 2014 you're joking right?