I’m inclining to the view that he may have a future in this sport.
Here is the statement from FIFA explaining the charges against Suarez.
On the right of that page is a link to a .pdf of FIFA’s disciplinary code. (I can’t seem to link it directly)
The statement says, in part:
Article 57 is a bit of a catch-all covering offensive behavior and unsporting conduct. Article 48 is more specific. I’ve quoted it in full below. Note that although it specifies that these penalties are applied with a direct red card in the match, they also may be applied by the disciplinary committee after the fact if there is a serious infringement that the ref did not see, and that they may consider a wide variety of evidence in evaluating the matter.
My question - why is “assault” given a minimum suspension of two games and spitting six games? Is that because spitting involves deliberate transfer of bodily fluids?
From what I’ve seen reported, Suarez is looking at a minimum of a 2 game suspension for assault (section d). A deliberate bite involves spit as well. In fact, it is probably worse in that regard because the germs will be pushed right into the victim’s skin.* So shouldn’t a bite fall under both sections d and e and thus be subject to a minimum of a six game suspension?
The deadline for Uruguay to present any evidence for their side just passed. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
- It didn’t seem like Chiellini’s skin was broken, fortunately.
It’s the sort of weird double standard: spitting and biting (for instance) are seen as cheap shots that have no place on a football pitch… so they get treated as such.
Punching or kicking also don’t belong on a pitch… but I guess they aren’t seen as cheap shots.
All this is way worse than breaking an opponents leg with rash and frustrated tackle.
Anecdote alert.
Playing in goal for a 7-a-side game I had a ball booted at me full pelt from 5 yards away. I stopped it with the heel of my hand and it dropped dead at my feet. All the energy travelled up my arm and I gave a little girly yelp.
It hurt like hell but I played on outfield for another hour until I realised I was hallucinating and about to faint.
My wife took me hospital (whilst rolling her eyes and muttering about being “too old” for such things) and I found I’d clean broken both radius and ulna near the wrist joint and had two months in a cast.
So yes, it can happen
Looks like the Swiss are in the box seat to advance in Group E.
They’re up 2-0, thanks to two really nice goals by Shaqiri. The first was a fantastic strike past a bunch of defenders from the edge of the area, and the second was a nice finish after he was put through one-on-one with the keeper.
As it stands, though, if Ecuador could manage a 1-0 victory over France, they would edge the Swiss on goal difference.
Uh Oh 
(Ecuadorian)
:eek:
Oh, the ball dropped dead at your feet.
Yes. I don’t know how often it has happened in a match, but Ronaldo broke an 11 year old kid’s wrist with a free kick last year.
Justified red card against Ecuador’s captain Antonio Valencia.
The ref just got suckered into red carding Ecuador’s best player by an obvious dive. Sickening.
Are you kidding? What game are you watching? That was one of the clearest, most deserved red cards we’ve seen. The Ecuadorans didn’t even protest!
Ecuador’s going to have (even more) trouble beating France now. They’re down to 10 men after a red card.
Yeah, he basically jumped on his leg.
He tried to stop the ball and slipped, and the ref was influenced by the French player making a meal of it.
Late challenge. Studs up. Raked the studs up and down Digne’s leg. Always a red card.
ETA : it’s not quite as dirty as Suarez’s bite, but it was a very clear red card, especially on replay.
Yep
Actually,watching the replay a couple more times, i’m going to give the Ecuadorian some benefit of the doubt. The foot that did the damage came off the ball and onto the leg. It was still a bad, feet-first, “studs showing” type of tackle, and that sort of tackle is supposed to get the red, but i do believe that he was genuinely going for the ball.
Correct decision, but clumsy play rather than dirty play, IMO.
“Making a meal of it”? Give me a break. Even if it wasn’t intentional, it would have fucking hurt.
Green Bean, Suarez wasn’t red carded at the time so surely art 48 doesn’t apply? The suspensions listed only apply to “any recipient of a direct red card”.
. Z
That last post was an meaningless oops.
With Switzerland now up by three, is there any chance left for Ecuador, even if they win? Doesn’t SUI now own the goal differential tiebreaker?