Luis Suárez

[ChesterDave]

I didn't see Sakho's elbow tbh.

If you Google it you will see great attempts by websites to make it a Liverpool issue - 'another retrospective Liverpool red card' etc etc

[dom9]

It's on Newsnight now.

[Muddled]

I think Valencia was reckless, out of control, two-footed and could have caused a serious mischief. I'd rather have broken skin than a broken tibia.

[Kenneth]

In my opinion, it wasn't two footed and he made contact as he did because his foot bounced off the ball. The intent wasn't there. Not a red.

[ame="http://youtu.be/SQvLre4pHXA"]Antonio Valencia Red card vs France World Cup 2014 - YouTube[/ame]

There's absolutely no comparison to a case of deliberate assault.

[calvoboy]

I wonder if FIFA are waiting until after UK print deadlines to announce the disciplinary panel decision? Thought we would have heard by now...

[RichC]

To give an idea of the length of bans handed out for biting in other sports, he'd also previously been done for eye gouging

Dylan Hartley gets eight-week ban for biting Ireland's Stephen Ferris

Dylan Hartley gets eight-week ban for biting Ireland's Stephen Ferris


Dylan Hartley, the Northampton and England hooker, had his ban for biting reduced from 12 weeks. Photograph: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar
Dylan Hartley was cleared on Tuesday to tour South Africa with England this summer after the Northampton hooker escaped with an eight-week suspension for biting the Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris during the Six Nations.

The 26-year-old will miss any Northampton involvement in the Premiership play-off semi-finals but can return on 14 May, almost two weeks before the final and England's tour warm-up match against the Barbarians. That in turn is a fortnight before England's first Test at King's Park, Durban.

Hartley could appeal – and he at once expressed disappointment at the length of the ban – but the disciplinary hearing, while upholding the citing for foul play, decided it merited a low entry on the IRB's table of sanctions. The range of penalties runs from 12 weeks to four years.

There had been speculation that Hartley might face a stiff penalty because of a 26-week ban for gouging in 2007. However, the disciplinary committee, chaired by Roger Morris of Wales and including Rob Flockhart and Paul Minto of Scotland, clearly considered five years' good behaviour was enough for them to reduce the sentence by four weeks.

Television footage did not capture the bite but the committee took evidence from Ferris by video link and also heard from Hartley and his legal representative, Jim Mallinder, director of rugby at Northampton, and Graham Rowntree, England's forwards coach, who said "we are looking forward to him being available for the tour to South Africa".

"It is unfortunate for Dylan and Northampton, especially as he was in good form during the Six Nations," said Rowntree, "and he has developed as a player and a leader."

Broadcast footage of the game 11 days ago shows Ferris pointing at an England player during a ruck. At the next pause in play the flanker speaks to Nigel Owens, the referee, who immediately stops the game clock, calls the captains, Chris Robshaw and Rory Best, over and tells them: "I have an accusation of biting, a clear mark on the finger. I did not see something. If I do, it will be dealt with severely, which would be a red card.

"It could be dealt with afterwards. If it is seen, it will be dealt with. I did not see it. Have a word. Nothing like that takes place in this game."

Owens then tells Ferris: "I have done all I can. It has been noted" and it was the Italian citing commissioner, Alberto Recaldini, who brought the charge. He alleged an act "contrary to good sportsmanship" against Hartley, although Recaldini initially got the timing wrong, saying the incident was in the 23rd and not 28th minute.

Hartley suggested he would wait until the committee's written judgment, expected on Friday, before deciding on any further action. However, he was "disappointed by the result" and said: "I now have to put it behind me and focus on supporting Saints in training and off the field."

By Friday Northampton should also know whether their flanker Calum Clark, currently suspended indefinitely by the club, will play again this season. The RFU disciplinary hearing into how the Leicester hooker Rob Hawkins broke his elbow during the LV Cup final has been rearranged for Wednesday night at a hotel near Heathrow. Clark has been cited for an act contrary to good sportsmanship in allegedly hyper-extending Hawkins's right arm. The case will be heard by the RFU's disciplinary officer, the high court judge Jeff Blackett.

Northampton suspended Clark after looking at footage of the incident and after claims by Leicester's director of rugby, Richard Cockerill, that the flanker's actions were "as bad as I have seen on a rugby field". Hawkins, who is out of contract, will be out for up to three months.

The Wales hooker, Huw Bennett, is also out for the remainder of the season and appears to have played his last game for the Ospreys. The 28-year-old needs surgery on an achilles tendon and could be out for 12 weeks, putting his participation in the Welsh tour to Australia in doubt. Bennett, who moves to Lyon next season, was injured in the Six Nations match against Scotland and missed the remaining three games of the grand slam campaign.

Bath's Australian centre Matt Carraro is also on his way to France and probably Montpellier after triggering a clause which allows him to break his contract a year early. He has been at Bath for three years and signed a two-year extension last season.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/mar/27/dylan-hartley-stephen-ferris-ban

[Liverpel]

In my opinion, it wasn't two footed and he made contact as he did because his foot bounced off the ball. The intent wasn't there. Not a red.

Antonio Valencia Red card vs France World Cup 2014 - YouTube

There's absolutely no comparison to a case of deliberate assault.

It is a clear late tackle this time, in a tournament of this magnitude, the most watched tournament in the world. They have got to throw him in jail and lock him up forever.

[Kenneth]

[Fierce]

[ChesterDave]

Here is the Sakho gif that nobody seems to be angry about despite claiming violent assaults have no part in football



It also has the oddest name for a gif I have encountered - GenerousEnchantingInganue

[Fivex]

Here is the Sakho gif that nobody seems to be angry about despite claiming violent assaults have no part in football

****!

Now THATS violent conduct.

Suarez/biting is only weird in comparison, unless a chunk is removed or skin broken (obviously). I can't see how these types of incidents aren't worse.

[ChesterDave]

Yup. People have said its a stupid argument to say they would rather be bitten than something such as an elbow.

I've taken an accidental elbow to the face. Had a swollen face for 3 months and took 3 x-rays over a week to confirm it wasn't broken. It hurts, a lot. It really isn't stupid to say you would take a nibble compared to an elbow - especially when it is forceful and deliberate like that. Could fracture eye sockets or cheekbones which has the potential to cause long-term/permanent vision problems and/or hearing loss.

[Paddy]

He blatantly forces his face on to Sakho's elbow. Non story, hence no sending off. He should have seen red for extreme simulation.

[MrMichael]

****!

Now THATS violent conduct.

Suarez/biting is only weird in comparison, unless a chunk is removed or skin broken (obviously). I can't see how these types of incidents aren't worse.

I think they're just more common and more likely to be committed in the general passage of a football game. Like ChesterDave says, and elbow to the face can be really serious and much more likely to cause serious injury than a minor bite, but people also get caught with elbows accidentally, it is much easier to comprehend how a player could swing one over-agressively in the rough and tumble of a game. A bite just seems so alien to everyone especially in the manner and frequency Luis has done it.

It is both ridiculous and pretty disgusting to bite people like he has, but some degree of rational objective analysis of the harm likely to be caused by the action really should inform a decision on consequences imo. I never understood, given the enormous difference in potential to cause harm, how the FA judged the Ivanovic bite worthy of a bigger ban than Ben Thatcher got for hideously assaulting Mendes.

[BrooklynRed]

I never understood, given the enormous difference in potential to cause harm, how the FA judged the Ivanovic bite worthy of a bigger ban than Ben Thatcher got for hideously assaulting Mendes.

This exactly.