Suarez to appeal FA ban

SOCCER:LUIS SUAREZ plans to appeal against an eight-game ban from the English Football Association for racially insulting Manchester United's Patrice Evra, the Liverpool striker's lawyer said last night.

Alejandro Balbi, who is also Suarez’s agent, said the player is “very affected” by the punishment but “calm because of the massive support of the club, the coach, his team-mates and his captain”. Balbi added: “The counts of racism that were made against him are not true.”

Suarez received an eight-match ban plus a £40,000 fine from the FA on Tuesday, having been found guilty by an independent regulatory commission of racially abusing Evra at Anfield on October 15th. But Suarez is unlikely to follow John Terry in facing a criminal investigation relating to alleged racist abuse unless Evra chooses to lodge a complaint against the Liverpool striker with Merseyside police.

The FA punishment, suspended pending an anticipated appeal by Liverpool, prompted an outburst from the Anfield club, who vowed to clear Suarez’s name, called for Evra to be charged with abusing their player and accused the FA of targeting the Uruguay international from the outset. The FA has not responded to the challenge to its integrity from Liverpool and United are also maintaining a silence on Liverpool’s criticism of their defender.

Liverpool published a statement on their website. “Luis Suarez is our team-mate and our friend and as a group of players we are shocked and angered that he has been found guilty by the FA,” it said. “We know he is not racist. We are a squad of many different nationalities and backgrounds. All of us support the club’s commitment to fighting racism.

“All of us accept there is no place in the game for any form of discrimination. As a group of players we totally support the Kick it Out Campaign. We have lived, trained and played with Luis for almost 12 months and we don’t recognise the way he has been portrayed.

“We will continue to support Luis through this difficult period, and as a popular and respected friend of all his team-mates, he will not walk alone.”

The players showed their support for Suarez last night when they appeared for the warm-up all wearing white T-shirts with the image of Suarez in red on the front and the player’s name and number seven on the back.

Suarez is not facing a criminal case and Merseyside police are unlikely to consider any complaints from the public as credible.

“I don’t think that Luis Suarez is racist,” said Evra in a written statement to the disciplinary hearing, and Alex Ferguson had been anxious to avoid the controversy developing into a dispute between the two clubs. But Evra, whose credibility was questioned in Liverpool’s extraordinary statement, which made reference to his altercation with a Chelsea groundsman in 2008, may choose to take the matter further and can still do so despite the time that has elapsed.

Liverpool have 14 days in which to appeal against the extent of the FA’s punishment once they receive the commission’s findings in writing.

Given their vigorous defence of the Uruguay international, an appeal from Liverpool appears inevitable but would carry the risk of Suarez’s eight-game ban being increased, should it fail.

There are suggestions Liverpool could take their fight to clear Suarez’s name to the court of arbitration for sport should they fail to overturn the ban domestically.

Suarez could serve his eight-match suspension in one month, given Liverpool’s fixture schedule, but the Anfield club are in no mood to accept the FA’s penalty.

Kenny Dalglish’s team travel to Manchester City in the Premier League on January 3rd and again in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg eight days later. Delaying a decision on an appeal would improve the striker’s prospects of being available for both City games.

Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, has backed the FA’s stance on Suarez and has insisted that Liverpool’s argument that “negro” does not have racist connotations in the player’s native Uruguay was no defence against its use in Britain.

“This was an independent commission experienced in law and football and they must have had compelling evidence, and it sends out a very strong message,” Taylor said.

“This is a situation involving two of our biggest clubs and a very sensitive time and it reiterates the message we want to get out. We are a multicultural society and a cosmopolitan league and players must have equal respect for people regardless of their nationality or skin colour.”