Luis Suárez Bite: Uruguay Striker Banned For Nine Matches And Four Months

Luis Suárez has been suspended for nine matches and handed a four-month stadium ban by Fifa for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.

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Uruguay striker Suárez sunk his teeth into an opponent for the third time on Tuesday when he gnawed on Chiellini's shoulder during his country's 1-0 World Cup win.

Suárez cannot play for Liverpool until late October as he begins another season on the sidelines due to biting an opponent. He has also been fined 100,000 Swiss Francs by Fifa and cannot train with Liverpool during the duration of the ban.

"The player Luis Suarez is banned from taking part in any kind of football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) for a period of four months."

FIFA's statement continued: "A stadium ban is pronounced against the player Luis Suarez in accordance with article 21 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code as follows: the player Luis Suarez is prohibited from entering the confines of any stadium during the period of the ban.

"The player Luis Suarez is prohibited from entering the confines of any stadium in which the representative team of Uruguay is playing while he has to serve the nine-match suspension.

"The player Luis Suarez is ordered to pay a fine in the amount of 100,000 Swiss Francs."

Claudio Sulser, the chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee, said the panel had taken into account all the factors in the case.

Sulser said: "Such behaviour cannot be tolerated on any football pitch, and in particular not at a FIFA World Cup when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field.

"The disciplinary committee took into account all the factors of the case and the degree of Mr Suarez's guilt in accordance with the relevant provisions of the code. The decision comes into force as soon it is communicated."

Fifa's disciplinary code sets a maximum ban of 24 matches or two years, and the longest suspension in World Cup history previously was the eight games Italy's Mauro Tassotti received for breaking Spain's Luis Enrique's nose with an elbow in 1994.

Even if Suárez appeals the decision he cannot play against Colombia in Uruguay's round-of-16 clash on Saturday. If the length of the ban stands he will also miss next year's Copa América.

Suárez missed Liverpool's first six games of last season, having begun his 10-game ban for biting Branislav Ivanović at the end of the 2012-13 campaign.

He has already served 19 matches worth of suspensions in English football for making an obscene gesture and racially abusing Patrice Evra, as well as biting Ivanović.

With Suárez due to miss Liverpool's opening nine Premier League fixtures, as well as their first few Champions League group games and at least one League Cup tie, he will have missed 32 matches, overall, through bans without ever being sent off for the Reds.

The earliest Suárez can play again is at Newcastle on 1 November.

Liverpool chief executive Ian 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."