Evra accuses Suarez of racism

[Craig_H]

Liverpool FC have just made them selves look ****ing stupid and spineless. So Suarez is a racist then If Liverpool feel that they should sack him then.

Dont be a tool. Even the report itself stated that Suarez isnt a racist. He was charged with abusive/insulting behaviour, with reference to race. He wasnt charged with 'being a racist'. Just because your rival-club mates will rib you about Suarez being a racist, doesnt mean the club should endeavour to head down a path that'll only make matters worse for us and for Suarez.

[RichC]

Liverpool FC have just made them selves look ****ing stupid and spineless. So Suarez is a racist then If Liverpool feel that they should sack him then.

Don't be ridiculous!

Essentially they're saying there's no point appealing if you're basing guilt on what you think might have happened and not actual evidence.

It's a good statement explaining we believe & support Suarez but arguing with the judge, jury and executioner rolled in one is going to get us anywhere.

[Craig_H]

It was the best that they could do imo

It really does put the pressure on the FA to act over erry though

Not that they will mind

The FA will use the CPS involvement to absolve them of any sanction-based responsibility.

[Chris]

liverpool fc have just made them selves look ****ing stupid and spineless. So suarez is a racist then if liverpool feel that they should sack him then.

read the ****ing statement!!!

[Nicey]

Lock this ****ing thread please

[RichC]

I agree

I am going to lock this until after the match at least, be good to let the dust settle with all of this.

[vonk]

Liverpool FC have just made them selves look ****ing stupid and spineless. So Suarez is a racist then If Liverpool feel that they should sack him then.

Don't be ridiculous. What grounds were we going to appeal on? The FA botched this but made damn sure an appeal would not have been successful. They've admitted it's Luis' word against Evra's in this case and they chose to believe Evra. Scandalous, but there is little room for us to do anything other than say 'we disagree'. Then they would say, 'well we don't agree with you' and extend the ban.

We've said basically in our statement that it's a joke verdict, but we want to put it to bed.

[MrMichael]

Ok, so I'm going to unlock this for now to prevent any thing about it spilling into other threads, though I do think we should soon be making like the club are trying to, and move on despite a lot of things we might not be happy with.

Please people though, try to keep things level headed and reasonable. To that end, I'll repost the (well worded imo) LFC statement....

It is our strongly held conviction that the Football Association and the panel it selected constructed a highly subjective case against Luis Suarez based on an accusation that was ultimately unsubstantiated.

The FA and the panel chose to consistently and methodically accept and embrace arguments leading to a set of conclusions that found Mr. Suarez to "probably" be guilty while in the same manner deciding to completely dismiss the testimony that countered their overall suppositions.

Mr. Evra was deemed to be credible in spite of admitting that he himself used insulting and threatening words towards Luis and that his initial charge as to the word used was somehow a mistake.

The facts in this case were that an accusation was made, a rebuttal was given and there was video of the match. The remaining facts came from testimony of people who did not corroborate any accusation made by Mr. Evra.

In its determination to prove its conclusions to the public through a clearly subjective 115-page document, the FA panel has damaged the reputation of one of the Premier League's best players, deciding he should be punished and banned for perhaps a quarter of a season. This case has also provided a template in which a club's rival can bring about a significant ban for a top player without anything beyond an accusation.

Nevertheless, there are ultimately larger issues than whether or not Luis Suarez has been treated fairly by the Football Association in this matter. There are important points we want to make today that overshadow what has occurred during the past two months.

The issue of race in sports, as in other industries, has a very poor history. Far too often, and in far too many countries, the issues of racism and discrimination have been covered over or ignored.

In America, where Liverpool ownership resides, there was a shameful bigotry that prevented black athletes from competing at the highest levels for decades.

English football has led the world in welcoming all nationalities and creeds into its Premier League and its leagues below, and Liverpool Football Club itself has been a leader in taking a progressive stance on issues of race and inclusion. The Luis Suarez case has to end so that the Premier League, the Football Association and the Club can continue the progress that has been made and will continue to be made and not risk a perception, at least by some, that would diminish our commitment on these issues.

Liverpool Football Club have supported Luis Suarez because we fundamentally do not believe that Luis on that day - or frankly any other - did or would engage in a racist act. Notably, his actions on and off the pitch with his teammates and in the community have demonstrated his belief that all athletes can play together and that the colour of a person's skin is irrelevant.

Continuing a fight for justice in this particular case beyond today would only obscure the fact that the Club wholeheartedly supports the efforts of the Football Association, the Football League and the Premier League to put an end to any form of racism in English football.

It is time to put the Luis Suarez matter to rest and for all of us, going forward, to work together to stamp out racism in every form both inside and outside the sport.

It is for this reason that we will not appeal the eight-game suspension of Luis Suarez.

Don't be ridiculous. What grounds were we going to appeal on? The FA botched this but made damn sure an appeal would not have been successful. They've admitted it's Luis' word against Evra's in this case and they chose to believe Evra. Scandalous, but there is little room for us to do anything other than say 'we disagree'. Then they would say, 'well we don't agree with you' and extend the ban.

We've said basically in our statement that it's a joke verdict, but we want to put it to bed.

Indeed, its quite obvious that the club do not agree with the FA's findings, however there was no option of appealing the totality of the judgement, just the severity of the punishment on technical / procedural grounds, which would almost certainly have been pointless and very possibly more damaging. The whole thing stinks, but we need to get on with it now.

[fah-q]

What happened with Adrian Durham?

[McDermotX]

Not happy with the decision from the FA.
The bitterness in me hopes it's not the end of it.
Fully understand and expected the decision from the club, but delighted there's been no apology.

[Reece]

What happened with Adrian Durham?

??

I saw he posted something about "Suarez admitting he kicked Evra because he was black". Did it kick off from there then?

[malg]

Dont be a tool. Even the report itself stated that Suarez isnt a racist. He was charged with abusive/insulting behaviour, with reference to race. He wasnt charged with 'being a racist'. Just because your rival-club mates will rib you about Suarez being a racist, doesnt mean the club should endeavour to head down a path that'll only make matters worse for us and for Suarez.

What the club come out wearing tshirts supporting Surez then release what I feel is just a load of words that will not really achieve anything. The club had a chance to address the FA but failed. I feel sorry for Suarez he must be feeling helpless now. Once again the FA have won by fear and intimidation.

[lickedlollipop]

sorry, that i don't exactly know..

but what's up with appeal? was it rejected or ?

[Exiled_red]

I thought we should have appealled, because the decison was clearly wrong. I guess we were never going to get it overturned, so I guess we took the decision to have the ban now because the games he misses aren't as big - hopefully he'll only miss 4 PL games with tonight's being the only big games. If we'd appealled he'd probably have missed games against Spurs, Man Utd, Everton and Arsenal.

[Shaggy]

Twitter is unbelievable. Every single journo, blogger, 'neutral'..........they are all still laying into us, ripping both the club's and Suarez's statements to shreds. Just **** off.