Suarez ban to be reduced by CAS

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has said the
Barcelona striker’s four-month ban for biting
could be repealed, although his international
suspension would still stand
Luis Suarez could have his four-month ban for
biting reduced, allowing the Barcelona striker to
play in the club’s first game of the 2014-15
Primera Division season.
The 27-year-old was handed a nine-match
international ban and suspended for four
months from “any football-related activities” by
Fifa in June after biting Italy’s Giorgio
Chiellini during a World Cup group-stage match
in Brazil.
After having an initial appeal against the
punishment rejected by football’s world
governing body, Suarez ultimately completed a
£70 million move to Barcelona – though the
Catalan giants were unable to formally present
their new acquisition because of the ban.
Barcelona decided to take an appeal to the
Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the
player’s lawyer described the punishment as
“draconian, totalitarian and fascist”.
And a source from CAS has now told Goal that,
while Suarez’s ban from international football
will remain in place, his four-month suspension
is likely to be reduced – meaning that he would
be able to begin the new league campaign for
Barca.
“Now that the case has arrived at CAS, it is very
likely that we will reduce the penalty,” the
source confirmed.
“The ban would only apply to the Uruguay
national team and not to Barcelona.”
Arbitrators at CAS are believed to agree with the
consensus at Barcelona that Fifa’s overall
sanction against Suarez is excessive.
Under the terms of the suspension, the Uruguay
star is unable to train with his new team-mates
and cannot step foot inside Camp Nou.
Suarez apologised for his actions following the
incident in Brazil, which also resulted in the
player being fined 100,000 Swiss Francs
(£65,200) by Fifa.