FIFA has officially charged Uruguay's Luis Suarez with biting Italy
defender Giorgio Chiellini in the teams' World Cup match, a process that
could lead to a suspension for Uruguay's best offensive player.
FIFA announced early Wednesday that its disciplinary committee has
opened proceedings against Suarez, just hours after the end of Tuesday's
match.
If the panel finds Suarez guilty of assaulting an opponent, FIFA
rules call for a ban of at least two matches up to a maximum of 24
months.
Suarez holds his mouth after the incident with Chiellini
Uruguay scored the only goal of the match just minutes after the
encounter between Messrs. Suárez and Chiellini to advance to the
round-of-16 to play Colombia, but the incident has completely
overshadowed the result. The relevant parties have been given until 5
p.m. local time on Wednesday to lay out their cases and provide
evidence. These can include reports from referees, declarations from
witnesses, material evidence, and audio or video recordings, according
to FIFA.
Chiellini shows the damage
FIFA offered little clarity about the state
of the probe during its daily media briefing on Wednesday morning,
saying that members of the body's disciplinary committee "do not yet
have all the elements" required to pass judgment.
Whether
Mr. Suárez, if he is found guilty, would be able to delay any
suspension with a series of appeals is also unclear, although "a
suspension for fewer than three matches or of up to two months" isn't
contestable, according to article 118 of FIFA's disciplinary code.
The uneducated guess: Suarez receives a three-match ban, far short of
the blood demanded by many but enough to keep him out until a
hypothetical final -- one that without his services Uruguay is highly
unlikely to reach. It will be a surprise if we haven't seen the last of
Luis Suarez in this World Cup.
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