Luis Suárez

[TheElephantMan]

A colleague in the US who tracks media markets has suggested the incident has invoked greater coverage in both North and South America which will effectively profit FIFA further from this incident. Bizarre

There's a Will Ferrell video doing the rounds where he's speaking to US fans and he says that he's been asked to play for the team and that he's going to bite everyone necessary to win.

[Venton]

A club will look to manage risk and a new precedent has been set. There have been other instances of violent conduct during this World Cup and incidents during previous WCs that have been much more violent, but now there is a new punishment for violent conduct that affects domestic games as well as international games. This decision has been made without any real thought. I'm sure other clubs will become more wary of the possibility of losing important players for domestic games due to indiscretions happening whilst playing for another club in a completely separate competition. International football has nothing to do with domestic football.

Good luck with finding support from other clubs on our quest for justice.

[TheElephantMan]

Good luck with finding support from other clubs on our quest for justice.

I'll try my best.

[ChesterDave]

There's a Will Ferrell video doing the rounds where he's speaking to US fans and he says that he's been asked to play for the team and that he's going to bite everyone necessary to win.

I think it might be in this thread.

[Venton]

He did that last time he bit someone.

He was bang to rights! He's not a great track record on 'fessing up without having to! Wow.

[Venton]

I'll try my best.

Perversely I hope you succeed

[dom9]

Liverpool bite back at Luis Suárez ban

Oliver Kay Chief Football Correspondent, Rio de Janeiro
Published 1 minute ago

Anfield club consider legal action against Fifa

Liverpool joined the Uruguayan FA in considering legal action against Fifa after Luis Suárez received a four-month ban from football for biting an opponent.

The Liverpool and Uruguay forward has left the World Cup in disgrace, preparing to fly home to Montevideo after being told that he is not allowed to play in, or attend, his nation’s next nine matches or even to stay in the team hotel in Brazil. He has been banned for Uruguay’s next nine international matches and fined Sw Fr 100,000 [about £66,000].

Liverpool are furious that Suárez’s punishment has been extended to a four-month global ban from “any football-related activity” after he bit Giorgio Chiellini, the Italy defender, on Tuesday during the 1-0 victory that took Uruguay through to the knockout stages to face Colombia tomorrow.

Suárez will appeal against his immediate suspension, with Wilmar Valez, the Uruguayan FA president, saying that “it feels like Uruguay has been thrown out of the World Cup”, but anger is also being felt at Liverpool. Boardroom sources said that the club would explore the possibility of a lawsuit against Fifa over the decision to widen Suárez’s punishment to club football.

Ian Ayre, the chief executive, said that Liverpool will wait until they have read a full report from Fifa’s disciplinary committee before deciding on their next step, but there is already a strong and growing sense of anger at Suárez’s punishment. They are particularly unhappy that an incident that occurred during Fifa competition, for which Suárez had been released by his club, could result in suspension at club level.

A four-month ban from all football-related activity — which, according to Fifa, would include even training, as well as attending or playing in matches, but would not preclude a transfer — would cause Suárez to miss the remainder of the World Cup and several matches thereafter, but it would also keep him out of action at club level until late October. As things stand, he would miss Liverpool’s first nine Barclays Premier League matches but could potentially return to action for the fourth round of the Capital One Cup, at the end of October.

The matter is complicated by interest in Suárez from Barcelona, which does not appear to have been dampened by the controversy.
Claudio Sulser, the chairman of Fifa’s disciplinary committee, said: “Such behaviour cannot be tolerated on any football pitch and, in particular, not at the Fifa World Cup.”
Valez said that the Uruguayan FA will appeal, calling it an “excessive decision”, for which there was “not enough evidence”, but they accept that he will not play against Colombia tomorrow.

Adidas, the sportswear firm, said that it supported Fifa’s decision and that it would discuss its commercial partnership with Suárez after the World Cup.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/football/international/article4131509.ece

It would seem that LFC share the same viewpoint as me.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

Whether in a court of law or not, we have to challenge the ruling on the principle that it's bollocks.

[The_weatherman]

I think FIFA usually back down a bit after appeals, like the transfer bans?

[dom9]

I can't imagine any challenge from us will end well.

I fear the same.

Fifa appear to be untouchable and do as they wish.

[G]

I think FIFA usually back down a bit after appeals, like the transfer bans?

I said it earlier, I think the four month ban will be reduced on appeal, it was purposely large to allow them a bit of wiggle while still leaving a strong deterrent. He'll also get sold to Barcelona as their season starts later than ours and the ban won't impact as much.

[Chazza]

If this is upheld he will have been banned for 39 games for biting.

[Chazza]

And it will have been 50 games suspended since his last red card.

[marcus50bucks]

Liverpool prepared to keep disgraced Suarez despite four-month ban

Jun 26, 2014 22:37 By James Pearce

Suarez banned for nine international matches and from “all football activity” until late October

Liverpool FC are prepared to keep Luis Suarez at Anfield – despite the striker being hit with an unprecedented four-month worldwide ban.

The Reds are still coming to terms with the huge implications of the Uruguayan’s punishment for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.

FIFA’s disciplinary commission have suspended Suarez for nine international matches and from “all football activity” until late October. He has also been fined 100,000 Swiss francs (around £66,000).

That means the 27-year-old will miss up to 13 Liverpool matches – nine Premier League games, three Champions League group matches and a Capital One Cup tie.

Uruguayan Football Association president Wilmar Valdez has vowed to appeal against the “excessive” verdict and the Reds will await the outcome.

Despite the ban, which also bars Suarez from all stadia and even training with his club, the prolific frontman could still be transferred this summer – but the early indications are that Liverpool aren’t ready to wash their hands of him.

Owners Fenway Sports Group stood by Suarez when he bit Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic in April 2013 and vowed to help him conquer his demons. They are likely to do so again.

Suarez’s future was already the subject of intense speculation with both Barcelona and Real Madrid keen to secure his services.

However, Liverpool had made it clear they had no interest in selling and that Suarez would only move on if someone met the release clause in his contract – thought to be around £80million.

Even if one of the Spanish giants hasn’t been put off by Suarez’s lengthy ban any offer this summer is bound to be significantly reduced in the knowledge he would be unavailable for a big chunk of next season.

And despite the embarrassment the striker has once again heaped on the club, there is little appetite inside Anfield to off-load their top talent at a knockdown price.

Principal owner John W Henry, chairman Tom Werner, chief executive Ian Ayre and manager Brendan Rodgers held urgent talks in the wake of FIFA’s judgement and more discussions are planned for Friday.

In a short statement Ayre said: “Liverpool Football Club will wait until we have seen and had time to review the FIFA disciplinary committee report before making any further comment.”

Anfield officials have vowed to adopt a “measured, calm and thorough” approach to the latest shameful disciplinary episode in Suarez’s career and there could be no further comment publicly until next week.

Having had no contact with either FIFA or the Uruguayan FA, the Reds want to establish exactly what was said in Suarez’s defence and how the world governing body reached their verdict.

Liverpool are also seeking legal advice over the fact they have no involvement in the process and no right to appeal – despite the outcome having such huge implications for the club.

Suarez earns around £200,000 per week which means over the course of his ban the Reds could be faced with paying him in excess of £3million.

The previous record ban at a World Cup was the eight-match suspension given to Italy’s Mauro Tassotti for breaking Luis Enrique’s nose with an elbow in 1994.

The scale of Suarez’s punishment has infuriated his homeland with Uruguayan FA president Valdez saying: “We are preparing our appeal now, we have three days to do it.

“It is an excessive decision and there was not enough evidence and I have seen more aggressive incidents recently.

“It is a severe punishment. I don’t know exactly which arguments they used but it is a tough punishment for Suarez.

“It’s feels like Uruguay has been thrown out of the World Cup. We all know what Suarez means to Uruguay and to football around the world - not having Suarez would be a loss to any team.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-prepared-keep-luis-7334362

Good to hear we want to keep him.

[dom9]

I don't buy this whole deterrent argument either.

Deterrents are there to disencourage others from partaking in a particular activity. Clearly nobody else in their right mind would think about biting someone. It's so rare that it's ridiculous preposterous even. People don't need to be deterred from doing this.

It simply does not exist as a problem.

So treat it as violent misconduct and move on.