Ban chorus as Suarez takes bite out of Italy
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URUGUAY forward Luis Suarez faces a lengthy ban after Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini accused him of biting during the South Americans’ 1-0 Group D victory on Tuesday, overshadowing a day of emotional extremes at the World Cup.
Tears of joy ran down the face of Colombia reserve goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon when he became the oldest man to play at the finals at the age of 43, making a late appearance off the bench in a 4-1 win over Japan that secured top spot in Group C. He surpassed the record of Cameroon’s Roger Milla, who played in a World Cup at 42 years and 39 days.
There was anguish for the Ivory Coast and unbridled joy for Greece in the other Group C clash, after Giorgos Samaras converted a penalty in the dying seconds of injury time to snatch a 2-1 win and pip the Africans to second place.
In the day’s other match, a goalless draw with an experimental England side in Belo Horizonte was enough to secure Costa Rica first place in Group D and condemn the Europeans to their worst World Cup showing since 1958.
For all the footballing drama, it was Suarez’s off-the-ball antics against Italy that were the major talking point around the world.
Soccer’s world governing body FIFA said it was investigating the incident, which took the gloss off an otherwise glorious day for Uruguay after it edged 10-man Italy 1-0 in Natal to knock out the four-time former champion.
Liverpool forward Suarez, hailed a hero for his winning brace against England, has been banned twice before for biting, and looks likely to be hit with another lengthy suspension despite escaping punishment during the match.
“We are awaiting the official match reports and will gather all the necessary elements in order to evaluate the matter,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
Suarez could be banned for up to 24 games or 2 years under FIFA rules.
Suarez and the Uruguayan Football Association can submit evidence to investigators until 5pm yesterday.
Suarez’s escape rubbed salt into Italian wounds, after they had complained bitterly about the red card shown to midfielder Claudio Marchisio for a challenge on Egidio Arevalo Rios in the 59th minute.
That decision by referee Marco Rodriguez swung the game in Uruguay’s favor, after Italy appeared to be heading for the draw it needed to reach the last 16.
With 10 minutes to go, Suarez clashed with Chiellini in Italy’s penalty area, and the Italians were still complaining he had bitten the defender when Uruguay captain Diego Godin scored a fortuitous 81st-minute winner that flew in off his shoulder.
A furious Chiellini had pulled down his shirt to show a mark to the referee, and photographs from the game show what appeared to be bite marks on his shoulder. “It was ridiculous not to send Suarez off,” he told Rai TV. “It is clear-cut and then there was the obvious dive afterwards, because he knew very well that he did something that he shouldn’t have done.”
Suarez contested that version of events.
“Those are situations that happen on the pitch. We were both just there inside the area. He shoved me with his shoulder, and my eye got left like that also,” he said in reference to Chiellini’s mark.
Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said he did not see the incident, but feared that Suarez, who missed Uruguay’s 2010 World Cup semifinal after being sent off for a handball on the line that denied Ghana what would have been the winner, was being unfairly singled out. “It seems there is an animosity toward him and he is being persecuted by past events. There’re people hiding behind the tree waiting for something to happen.”
But senior FIFA officials wasted no time in condemning Suarez. “There is no doubt Luis Suarez is a fantastic footballer but once again his actions have left him open to severe criticism,” FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce told the BBC. “FIFA must investigate this incident very seriously and take whatever action is deemed necessary.”
English former World Cup referee Graham Poll said Suarez should be banned from the tournament.
“Luis Suarez should not be allowed to kick another ball in this World Cup,” Poll wrote in the Daily Mail.
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