Suarez to hear bite appeal ruling

Luis Suarez, currently serving a four-month ban for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, arrives for his
appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne on August 8, 2014. (AFP/Fabrice Coffrini)

PARIS: Luis Suarez will find out on Thursday (Aug 14) whether he has been successful in his appeal to have a four-month ban for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup reduced. The 27-year-old Uruguayan striker last week pleaded his case to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport after one of the most shocking events of the summer sporting extravaganza in Brazil.

The Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said it will announce its decision at 1300 GMT. "At the request of the appellants and with the agreement of FIFA, the CAS has conducted an expedited arbitration procedure. As a consequence, the CAS panel has accepted to render its decision within a short period of time but with grounds to follow later."

Suarez, who has two previous lengthy bans for biting opponents, was banned from all football-related activity for four months after biting Chiellini on the shoulder during a World Cup group game in the Brazilian city of Natal in June. He was also suspended for nine internationals and fined 100,000 Swiss francs (S$137,000).

FIFA had ordered the punishment because Suarez at first showed no remorse, but he later made a full apology to Chiellini. He subsequently left Liverpool for Barcelona in a 95-million-euro (S$158 million) deal but as it stands will have to wait until late October before he can play for his new club.

However, Suarez has been backed in his appeal bid by world players' union FIFPro and his lawyers said last week they were confident of obtaining a reduction of the ban to two months, meaning the striker would be available to play from August 25, and for him to be allowed to train with Barcelona for the duration of his suspension.

"The sanctions are a disproportionate response to the offence. Especially the four-month ban from all football-related activity, which is unfair for Suarez as it infringes his right to work at club level," FIFPro said earlier this month.