Story highlights
Luis Suarez apologizes to Giorgio Chiellini
Uruguayan says "deeply regrets what occurred'
Suarez vows "there will never again be another incident"
FIFA has banned Liverpool and Uruguay forward for four months
Luis Suarez has promised never to bite a player again after the Uruguayan issued an apology to Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.
In a carefully worded statement on his official Facebook page, Suarez, who has been hit by a four-month ban by world governing body FIFA for biting the Italian, said he “deeply regretted what occurred.”
The statement added: “I apologize to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire football family.
“I vow to the public that there will never again be another incident.”
The Liverpool star’s punishment, which also includes a nine-match international ban, prohibits him from football-related activities, meaning he will be prevented from training with his teammates until late October.
Suarez’s statement on Facebook continued to insist that the bite resulted from a “collision” with Chiellini.
The Italian defender accepted the apology via Twitter saying the incident was “all forgotten” before repeating his call for FIFA to reduce Suarez’s suspension.
In his defence to FIFA, Suarez reportedly said he had lost his balance and had fallen on “top of his opponent.”
In a Fifa disciplinary committee document, the Uruguayan explained: “At that moment, I hit my face against the player, leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth.
“In no way did it happen the way you have described, as a bite or intent to bite.”
Given the bite on Chiellini was the third such offense of Suarez’s career, FIFA took an altogether dimmer view of the incident, handing down a tough punishment to the 27-year-old foward.
When playing with Dutch club Ajax in 2007, Suarez was suspended for seven games for biting an opponent, while he was hit with a 10-match sanction for an identical offense while playing for Liverpool in April 2013.
He also courted controversy in 2011, when he was handed an eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.
Following previous indiscretions, Suarez has enjoyed the backing of his club Liverpool.
Suarez has been heavily linked with a move away from Liverpool and, with the 27-year-old set to miss the first nine games of the Premier League season, it remains to be seen whether the Anfield team will continue to stand by its man.
