Liverpool will be without Luis Suarez until late September after their leading goalscorer chose not to appeal against a 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic.
The Uruguay international and Liverpool striker received the written reasons for the independent regulatory commission’s decision before 6pm on Thursday but, after consideration with legal representatives, Suarez decided to accept the punishment and issued another apology for his actions via his Twitter account.
“I acknowledge that my actions were not acceptable on the football pitch so I do not want to give the wrong impression to people by making an appeal,” he wrote.
Suarez had already accepted a three-match ban for violent conduct but will now miss the final game of this season and the first six of next season as a result of his latest indiscretion. The English Football Association are expected to publish the reasons for Suarez's penalty on Friday afternoon.
Liverpool’s managing director, Ian Ayre, said the club would stand by Suarez but repeated the assertion that the FA’s punishment had been too harsh.
“The charges against Luis were his to consider and we have to respect his decision to not appeal the 10-game ban,” Ayre said in a statement.
“We are all disappointed at the severity of the punishment and in particular the differing standards that have been applied across various previous incidents.
“Luis is an important member of our team and nothing has changed in that regard. We are committed to helping him improve his conduct and he will be given our full support. We look forward to him returning to the team next season when he is available for selection.”
Brendan Rodgers added: "We can't hide our disappointment at the outcome of this situation, but we have to move on and support Luis in his decision.
“Luis has made a huge contribution to the squad this season and we respect his decision to accept the ban. He will be missed for the remainder of this season and the early part of next, but we will have the opportunity to welcome a better person and player when he returns.”
Suarez accepted the suspension despite receiving an extraordinary show of support from Rodgers, at a press conference on Thursday. The manager described Suarez’s bite on the Chelsea defender as “unacceptable” in the wake of Sunday’s incident and the club fined the 30-goal striker on Monday.
Yet following the commission’s ruling Rodgers claimed Suarez was being victimised by the FA who had punished “the man rather than the incident”.
Suarez received a seven-match ban from the Dutch FA for biting PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal in November 2010 and last season received an eight-match suspension and £40,000 fine for using racially abusive language towards Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.
On Friday British preimer minister David Cameron responded to Rodgers’s criticism that he, and the FA, had prejudiced Suarez’s hearing by the commission, the prime minister saying: “I made my own views clear just as a dad watching the game … It just sets the most appalling example to young people.”
Suarez is considering his future in English football following his latest lengthy ban from the game but Rodgers, who admitted he would understand “100% per cent” if the 26-year-old felt he needed a fresh start, is unlikely to face a charge from the FA for his comments.
Guardian Service
