Uruguayan and Liverpool star striker Luis Suarez, 27 caused a huge stir at the World Cup by biting Italian defender, Giorgio Chiellini. FIFA for once were quick to react. Promptly, they slapped a ban on the striker which disqualified him from the rest of the 2014 World Cup and banned him from playing until late October.
Yet it wasn’t FIFA who were the most under scrutiny or even Suarez himself: the vitriol was directed from across the world from Twitter feeds to Facebook messages for the UK. The world instead of focusing on the massive faux pas on the part of Suarez instead chose to scrutinise the UK’s response, claiming us to be sore losers when many demanded a harsher punishment.
Perhaps part of it is a case of sour grapes, however in Britain morals and decorum are important, and if this was an isolated incident then it could have been overlooked. The reality is that Luis Suarez had not reacted this way only once, but had reacted similarly twice before. At Liverpool he was fined and given a nine match ban as well as psychiatric help. Unfortunately, this seems to have done nothing at all for the striker, if anything it appears to have aided his arrogance.
Admittedly, Suarez’s talents on the field have been proven countlessly but we cannot afford to have someone who is constantly in the spotlight and an idol to many young children across the world to act this way on live television. Suarez’s history is colourful to say the least; from racism to the biting. The British have a point, when someone of Suarez’s calibre is allowed to behave in such a fashion it is disgusting and should not be tolerated.
A lifetime ban or even a two year ban have all been suggested, Blatter’s FIFA has been riddled with problems for many years. They seem to have prevented a complete collapse with the Suarez scandal and most seem pleased with the result, however, this bite is one too far. It is a time for a new FIFA, one that reacts swiftly and justly without being swamped by past failures. Suarez is lucky to have gotten off as lightly as he has, for many he was and is still a hero. But for some, it was a bite too far.
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