The Court of Arbitration for Sport have upheld Luis Suarez’s four-month ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during this summer’s World Cup. Suarez’s lawyers argued that Fifa’s decision to suspend him from all “football-related activity” for biting Chiellini was excessive.
While the Cas did not reduce Suarez’s ban, they have ruled that the Uruguay striker can now train and play in friendly matches, including for new club Barcelona on Monday against Mexico’s Club Leon.
Suarez will also be available for Uruguay’s upcoming friendlies against Japan and South Korea in September and Saudi Arabia the following month.
Cas said: “The sanctions imposed on the player by Fifa have been generally confirmed.”
But the court said preventing Suarez from taking part in any football activity was “excessive”, as not allowing him to train would have an impact on the player after the suspension had ended.
The ability for Suarez to train with Barcelona is a big win for the Spanish side as it means that Suarez’s competitive Barcelona debut is likely to be at Real Madrid on 26 October in El Clasico.
And a statement on the Barcelona website indicated that they will waste no time integrating Suarez with his new teammates saying:
Following the announcement of the verdict by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the appeal against the sanction imposed on Luis Suárez by FIFA, FC Barcelona hereby announces that the player will join the first team’s training session scheduled for tomorrow Friday at 9.30 AM CET in the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.
Likewise, the public presentation of Suárez as a new FC Barcelona player will be held on Monday at the Camp Nou, on occasion of the Joan Gamper Trophy match.
