(AFP) – Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica said
Friday that the four-year ban against star striker
Luis Suarez for biting a World Cup opponent
would become an “eternal shame” on football’s
history.
Mujica strongly condemned the way FIFA,
football’s global governing body, carried out the
sanction after Suarez bit the shoulder of Italian
defender Giorgio Chiellini.
“We think this will be remembered, this will
remain among the worst moments in the history
of football. This will be an eternal shame in the
story of World Cups,” Mujica said in his weekly
radio address.
But the Uruguayan leader, who said after the
incident that he had not seen a bite, did not
condemn the four month ban on all football
activities ordered against the 27-year-old
Uruguay striker.
“In a certain way, it can be understood,” said the
79-year-old left-of-centre leader. Mujica said he
had met Suarez after his return to Uruguay on
Friday to offer “a humble accolade.”
“We cannot understand the form, the procedure
applied” in making the sanction, the president
added.
Suarez bit Chiellini in a World Cup match as
Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 to secure a place in the
last 16. FIFA ordered a four month ban on all
football activities, a nine match international
suspension and a 100,000 Swiss francs
($112,000, 83,000 euro) fine.
Suarez flew back to Uruguay on Friday.
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