Uruguay will appeal against FIFA’s nine-match ban imposed on striker Luis Suarez for biting an Italy defender in a World Cup group match, Uruguay’s FA president said yesterday.

Suarez was also suspended from any football-related activity for four months and fined 100,000 Swiss francs for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini on Tuesday, soccer’s world governing body said.

“We are working here on the appeal with the lawyer, we are going to appeal today,” Uruguay FA chief Wilmer Valdez said outside Copacabana Palace hotel in Rio de Janeiro.

“We have three days to do it, but we are going to try and send it today so that the first appeal has the same timeframe as the disciplinary procedure – so that we can get a ruling in the fastest amount of time.

“There isn’t definitive evidence that allows us to say that this kind of sanction can be applied. We are talking nine games, four months and a financial penalty – so to me it really seems like a completely exaggerated.”

Valdez’s comments have been echoed by many Uruguayans, who are incensed by the ban, slamming it as exaggerated.

Suarez will miss Uruguay’s last-16 match against Colombia in Rio de Janeiro tomorrow and will play no further part in the tournament in Brazil if they progress.

“The player of course, Luis, is very upset, he is very upset about the situation,” Valdez said. “As a human being and a football player he is going to have the full support of the FA and the Uruguayans without a doubt.”

Last night, Suarez was expected to fly home to Uruguay, where local media said the country’s president Jose Mujica is to hold a meeting to discuss “options” relating to the ban.

PFA reaction

Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor believes Suarez has taken a “massive backward step”.

Taylor also feels the sanction handed down by FIFA should have included a counselling and treatment course for the Liverpool striker to help him with “a trait he has to get rid of”.

Taylor told Sky Sports News: “We felt things had got back on track (following his ban with Liverpool), it was up there for everybody to see, but of course this is a massive backward step on the world stage.

“I feel FIFA should have led the way with regard to trying to make sure that this behaviour is just eradicated and insist on there being some serious counselling and treatment for Luis Suarez because there’s no doubt he’s one of the finest players in the world – but this is a trait he has to get rid of.”

Controversies

Harald Schumacher on Patrick Battiston

• The 1982 semi-final between West Germany and France in Seville is best remembered for goalkeeper Schumacher clattering Battiston.

Schumacher leapt towards Battiston, knocking him unconscious and dislodging three teeth, with oxygen administered on the pitch. Astonishingly Dutch referee Charles Corver did not give a penalty, let alone send Schumacher off.

Schumacher then helped his side through to the final in the penalty shoot-out.

Zinedine Zidane on Marco Materazzi

• Zidane was moments from the end of his career, deep in extra-time of the 2006 final when he assaulted Italy defender Materazzi.

The match was 1-1 and heading for penalties when Zidane lunged towards Materazzi, thrusting his head into the Italian’s sternum with such venom as to knock him off his feet.

It was Zidane’s final act as a professional footballer and Italy won the shoot-out.

Diego Maradona vs England

• Fixtures between Argentina and England have been littered with controversy and the most contentious moment came when Diego Maradona outstretched his arm to beat Peter Shilton to a cross in 1986.

The goal stood, despite English protests, before Maradona scored a sensational individual goal. He later described his first strike as the ‘Hand of God’.