RIO DE JANEIRO: Transcript of the June 26 statement released by FIFA, football's international governing body, outlining the sanctions against Uruguay forward Luis Suarez for biting (the 100,000 Swiss franc fine is equivalent to $112,000):
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has reached a decision in the case related to Luis Suarez of Uruguay following an incident that occurred during the FIFA World Cup match between Italy and Uruguay played on 24 June 2014.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided that:
• The player Luis Suarez is regarded as having breached article 48 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) (assault), and article 57 of the FDC (an act of unsporting behavior toward another player).
• The player Luis Suarez is to be suspended for nine (9) official matches. The first match of this suspension is to be served in the upcoming FIFA World Cup fixture between Colombia and Uruguay on 28 June 2014. The remaining match suspensions shall be served in Uruguay's next FIFA World Cup match(es), as long as the team qualifies, and/or in the representative team's subsequent official matches in accordance with article 38 par. 2a) of the FDC.
• 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 (4) months in accordance with article 22 of the FDC.
• A stadium ban is pronounced against the player Luis Suarez in accordance with article 21 of the FDC as follows: the player Luis Suarez is prohibited from entering the confines of any stadium during the period of the ban (point 3). 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 (point 2).
• The player Luis Suarez is ordered to pay a fine in the amount of CHF 100,000.
• The decision was notified to the player and the Uruguayan FA today.
• “Such behavior 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,” said Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
