Uruguay forward Luis Suarez’s four-month playing ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) although he will be allowed train with his new club Barcelona.
CAS said in a statement that it had removed the clause which banned the 27-year-old from “any football-related activity” following an appeal by the Uruguayan football federation (AUF) on Suarez’s behalf.
The Barca player remains ineligible to play in official matches during the four-month period, and his nine-game international ban also stays in force following the notorious incident during the World Cup group game on June 24 which Uruguay won 1-0.
However, a spokesman for FIFA said Suarez could play in friendly internationals for club and country.
The ban means he will not be able to make his official Barca debut until the end of October
This could allow him to make his Barcelona debut against Mexican side Leon on Monday if selected.
“The sanctions imposed on the player by FIFA have been generally confirmed,” CAS said in a statement.
“However, the 4-month suspension will apply to official matches only and no longer to other football-related activities (such as training, promotional activities and administrative matters).”
“It has however considered that the stadium ban and the ban from “any football-related activity” were excessive given that such measures are not appropriate to sanction the offence committed by the player and would still have an impact on his activity after the end of the suspension.”
Suarez’s legal team said they had argued that FIFA had misapplied its own rules when considering the case and sanction imposed on other activities was disproportionate.
“As a result, Suarez is now permitted to train and attend matches with his Barcelona team-mates in preparation for the new season,” his lawyers said.
Barcelona said in a statement that Suarez would train with the La Liga club today and will be presented as a Barca player at the Nou Camp on Monday when they play Leon.
“I expected something different, although not much,” said AUF president Wilmar Valdez in a statement.
“CAS is a totally independent tribunal and this is to do with the way people see things, it’s a cultural matter. The way we live football in South America is different to Europe.
“For us there are things which are normal and deserve sanctions, but not such harsh ones. The training is something positive because not being able to train was tough.
“It was shown in the World Cup, in the matches Suarez did not play in, that he is a fundamental player. We will have to work to look for the appropriate alternatives.”
Suarez went to CAS, which conducted a hearing on the matter last Friday, after losing a first appeal at FIFA.
A Liverpool player at the time of the biting incident, Suarez has since joined Barcelona for a fee reported to be 81 million euros.
Banned twice before for biting, Suarez initially denied sinking his teeth into Chiellini but photographs of marks on the Italian defender’s shoulder were damning.
Suarez initially claimed that he had been the victim, falling to the ground and clutching his teeth after the players clashed.
He eventually accepted responsibility and apologised for the incident one week later, days after FIFA had imposed the ban.
The ban means he will not be able to make his official Barcelona debut until the end of October. He will also miss next year’s Copa America in Chile.
The forward could make his Barca debut at Real Madrid in El Clasico with the match scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 25-26.
However, Suarez would only be able to play if the game went ahead on the 26th, the day after his suspension ends.