FIFA reject Luis Suarez appeal against international ban

FIFA has rejected an appeal from Luis Suarez against his four-month worldwide ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup.

Suarez received  a nine-match international suspension, as well as a ban from all football related activities for four months for biting Italian player Giorgio Chiellini during his country’s World Cup game against Italy.

Uruguayan FA president Wilmar Valdez called the sanctions “totally exaggerated”, but FIFA’s Appeal Committee has now upheld the original decision.

A FIFA statement read: “The Appeal Committee has decided to reject the appeals lodged by both the Uruguayan player Luis Suarez and the Uruguayan FA, and to confirm the decision rendered by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on 25 June 2014 in its entirety.

“The terms of the decision taken by the FIFA Appeal Committee were communicated to the player and the Uruguayan FA today.”

Suarez can still take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

FIFA head of media Delia Fischer added: “The relevant decision is not yet final and binding, i.e. an appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport is still possible by the player and/or the Uruguayan FA, subject to certain conditions.”

The disciplinary committee’s initial decision took into account there had been no remorse from Suarez, and the fact it was the third time he had been involved in biting an opponent.

After lodging his appeal, Suarez did then issue a formal apology to Chiellini and vowed never to bite anyone again.

Suarez’s future at Liverpool is still uncertain after Barcelona held talks with Liverpool last week over a deal for the striker.