01-08-2020, 01:03 AM
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- Luis Suarez exits the World Cup with one of the longest bans in tournament history, and his reputation once again in tatters. Kevan Barlow Jersey . The Uruguay forward, widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, was banned by FIFA from all football for four months on Thursday for biting an Italian opponent in an incident that marred the teams victory and progression to the second round. Its the third time hes served a suspension for biting an opponent -- after similar incidents at both Ajax in the Dutch league and Liverpool in England -- and the second straight World Cup where Suarez exits in disgrace. The four-month ban will sideline Suarez for the first two months of Liverpools season. He was also suspended for Uruguays next nine matches, which extends beyond the four months and rules him out of next years Copa America, where his team is the defending champion. The Uruguayan football federation said it would appeal. Aside from Diego Maradonas 15-month suspension for a failed drug test at the 1994 tournament, its the longest ban handed out to a player at the World Cup. FIFA also fined Suarez 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,000). Suarez bit the left shoulder of defender Giorgio Chiellini on Tuesday in Natal during Uruguays 1-0 win over Italy, an incident that went unpunished by the referee but was witnessed by fans around the world on TV. Given Suarezs previous biting incidents, the images went viral immediately. "Such behaviour cannot be tolerated on any football pitch and in particular not at a FIFA World Cup, when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field," Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee, said in a statement. The Uruguayan federation was preparing an urgent appeal, as Suarez headed home. FIFA even barred him staying with teammates ahead of their round-of-16 game against Colombia on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro. "Luis in the next few hours will travel to Montevideo to be with the rest of his family to recover," federation president Wilmar Valdez told reporters. Suarez scored both goals in Uruguays 2-1 win over England, a performance that further enhanced a reputation that had gradually been rebuilt following a 10-game suspension for biting a Premier League opponent last May, and an eight-game ban for racially abusing an opponent in 2011. Suarez was voted the English leagues best player last season after a campaign void of any disciplinary issues. But now, the 27-year-old Suarez is the main actor in the World Cups most damaging episode for a second time. In the quarterfinals in 2010 in South Africa, his deliberate handball on the goal-line in the final minute of extra time denied Ghana an almost certain winning goal that would have made it the first ever African semifinalist. Suarez was sent off, and then refused to apologize for his celebratory dance near the players tunnel where he stayed to watch Ghana miss the resulting penalty. He also shrugged off criticism Tuesday of his bite. As usual, Uruguay officials and players defended their star player Thursday. "It feels like Uruguay has been thrown out of the World Cup," Valdez said, denouncing "a severe punishment." Veteran defender Diego Lugano wrote on his Facebook page that Suarezs family should be "proud of him, he deserves it." "A hug to Luis, who, as always, will rise," Lugano, captain on the 2010 team, wrote. "Outrage, impotence, I think thats what all of us feel. We all would like a fairer world, but that world simply doesnt exist." Even Uruguay fans who agreed Suarezs action was "stupid" did not agree with the sanction. "Uruguay is a small country that eliminated two big nations like Italy and England and its not for FIFAs benefit to let Uruguay continue playing," supporter Juan Jose Monzillo said in Montevideo. Suarezs ban extends one game more than Italy defender Mauro Tassottis eight-match international sanction for elbowing a Spanish opponent in a 1994 World Cup quarterfinal. That incident was also missed by match officials. By also banning Suarez from all football activities, FIFA also prohibited Suarez from entering a World Cup stadium. He cannot train with Liverpool until the ban ends in late October. "Hopefully he will realize now that behaviour of this type will not be tolerated under any circumstances," said FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce of Northern Ireland. The ban includes Liverpools first three Champions League games in the five-time European champions return after a five-year absence. Suarez will also miss the first nine Premier League matches. Suarez would still be allowed transfer to a different club during the ban, Fischer said. He has been linked to a move to Barcelona. Sports manufacturer adidas, which sponsors both Suarez and the World Cup, said it agreed with the ruling. The company said it will not use Suarez for "additional marketing" during the World Cup but would not immediately drop him as a client. "We will again be reminding him of the high standards we expect from our players," adidas said in a statement. Gary Lewis Jersey . But this time, the Gunners weathered the storm. Arsene Wengers team was on the ropes in the early stages of a lively FA Cup tie, until Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored a goal against the run of the play. Randy Moss Jersey . -- Valentin Zykov scored in overtime as the Baie-Comeau Drakkar rallied to a 3-2 victory over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Sunday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action. http://www.custompatriotsjersey.com/cust...1001f.html . -- Challenged for the first time under Major League Baseballs expanded replay system, umpires got it right.LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Stephen Curry had 30 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors clinched a playoff berth with a 112-95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Klay Thompson and Marreese Speights scored 16 points apiece for the Warriors, who will make back-to-back post-season appearances for the first time in more than two decades. After blowing a 20-point lead and a chance to clinch at home against Denver on Thursday night, Curry and the Warriors are back in the post-season after snapping an 11-game road losing streak against the Lakers. Nick Young scored 25 points for the Lakers, who set a franchise low with the 54th loss of their miserable season. The 1957-58 Minneapolis Lakers lost 53 times in their 72-game season. Curry, who hit four 3-pointers, grabbed a defensive rebound with 41 seconds left to wrap up his fifth career triple-double. The speedy point guard is the first Warriors player with four triple-doubles in a single season since Wilt Chamberlain had five in 1962-63. The Warriors had little trouble with the remnants of the Lakers, opening a 20-point lead in the third quarter and cruising to just their second road win over the 16-time NBA champions in 22 games. Steve Nash and Pau Gasol sat out for the Lakers, who will miss the playoffs for just the third time since 1976. Golden State also won its season series with the Lakers for the first time since 1994-95, and the Warriors victory was their 49th, one shy of the franchises first 50-win season since 1993-94. The Warriors are likely to be the Western Conferences sixth seed, which would mean theyll return to Staples Center next week to face the Pacific Division champion Clipppers. Bruce Armstrong Jersey. Steve Blake had 13 points, five assists and five rebounds in his first road game against the Lakers since they traded him to Golden State on Feb. 19. The veteran point guard hit three 3-pointers during his highest-scoring game since joining the Warriors. Only nine Lakers suited up, thanks to their usual lengthy list of injured players: Nash, Gasol, Chris Kaman, Kent Bazemore and Xavier Henry all sat out. Nash experienced a flare-up of his season-long problems with his back and hamstrings on Tuesday while passing Warriors coach Mark Jackson for third place on the NBAs career assists list. Andre Iguodala and Jermaine ONeal sat out for Golden State, with Iguodala resting his right knee tendinitis for the second time this month. David Lee had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors, coming off the bench in his return from a seven-game absence with right leg problems. Curry was sharp from the opening tip, scoring 11 points in each of the first two quarters. Even when he missed a breakaway dunk, he got the rebound and buried a 25-foot fall-away 3-pointer. Jordan Crawfords 3-pointer set off a 17-6 run by the Warriors, who led 58-43 at halftime. Young hit a series of jumpers to trim Golden States lead to 103-92 with 2:52 to play, but Thompson hit a few big shots to wrap it up. NOTES: The Lakers had planned to wear their black alternate jerseys, but the Warriors mistakenly packed their regular blue road jerseys, forcing Los Angeles to wear its traditional home gold. ... The Warriors had lost 20 of their past 21 home games against the Lakers, losing only on March 23, 2008, when Stephen Jackson hit two last-minute 3-pointers. ' ' '