By TIM FONTENAULT
Four days after FIFA punished Luis Suarez for biting Giorgio Chiellini, the Uruguayan forward has vowed that such an incident will never occur again.
Suarez issued an apology on his official website on Monday, saying that he has had time to calm down and reflect on the situation while with his family in Montevideo. Chiellini responded over Twitter on Monday afternoon, writing in English, “It’s all forgotten. I hope FIFA will reduce your suspension.”
“Independent from the fallout and the contradicting declarations that have surfaced during these past days, all of which have been without the intention of interfering with the good performance of my national team, the truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collision he suffered with me,” Suarez said. “For this: 1. I deeply regret what occurred. 2. I apologize to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire football family. 3. I vow to the public that there will never again be another incident like this involving me.”
In the midst of FIFA’s initial investigation, Suarez said that the incident was accidental, that he fell and hit his face against Chiellini’s shoulder. The biting incident is the third of Suarez’s career. He was suspended for biting PSV Eindhoven’s Ottman Bakkal while playing for Ajax and again for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic with Liverpool during the 2012-13 season.
Suarez has eight games remaining in his nine-game suspension from the national team. FIFA also banned him from all football activities, even those involving Liverpool, for four months. The Premier League’s leading scorer will not be available until October.
Without Suarez, Uruguay crashed out of the World Cup, losing to Colombia in the Round of 16.
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