World Cup Luis Suarez News – In Luis Suárez’s letter of defense to the FIFA disciplinary committee, the Uruguay striker insisted that the now infamous incident – in which he collided with the shoulder of Giorgio Chiellini, with the Italy defender immediately peeling away his kit to show what appeared to be bite marks – was not a bite.
Writing in Spanish, Suárez insisted that “in no way it happened how you have described, as a bite or intent to bite.” He went on to describe his version of what happened on that pitch in Natal:
After the impact … I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent. At that moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth.
As you might guess, this statement, released by the Associated Press, is already providing plenty of mirth to those circulating it on social media. It also did not sway the disciplinary panel, who stated that the bite was “deliberate, intentional and without provocation.”
Suárez’s attempt to justify his actions on the pitch certainly did not tempt the FIFA to go easy on the forward, particularly considering this was his third offense. He was banned from nine international matches and from all of soccer for four months, and fined $112,000.
Want more? Listen to Eric Wynalda give his perspective on Suárez’s mental state, on the Dan Patrick Show:
Kirsten Schlewitz, prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com