Uruguay star Luis Suarez returned home to a hero’s welcome on Friday after his World Cup ban for biting, as calls mounted for him to seek professional treatment.
Hundreds of well-wishers gathered in Montevideo to greet Suarez as Uruguayans, led by the country’s president, closed ranks around the disgraced star.
Suarez was hit with a worldwide four-month ban from all soccer on Thursday after he sank his teeth into Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.
It is the third time in four years that Suarez has been sanctioned for biting, and the latest incident triggered widespread outrage in the soccer community.
FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke led calls for Suarez to seek help, brushing off suggestions that the Liverpool star’s punishment was too severe.
Asked if he had a message for Suarez, Valcke told reporters: “I think he should find a way to stop doing it. He should go through a treatment. It is definitely wrong.”
International professional soccer player’s union FIFPro said FIFA should have made mandatory treatment part of its sanction.
“Luis Suarez should receive all the support he needs to deal with any off-field issues he may be experiencing at this time,” a FIFPro statement said. “This means that the focus should be on the rehabilitation and serious treatment of the player. FIFPro believes that treatment must be a part of any sanction.”
Bitten player Chiellini expressed sympathy for Suarez and criticized FIFA’s punishment, which is the heaviest ever imposed on a player during a World Cup.
“I have always considered unequivocal the disciplinary interventions by the competent bodies, but at the same time I believe that the proposed formula is excessive,” Chiellini said.
Uruguay has rallied behind the shamed goal-scorer.
A private jet carrying the player landed in Montevideo just before dawn. Hundreds of fans carrying banners with slogans such as “Luis, all of Uruguay is with you” were waiting.
“He has been treated worse than a murderer, when it was just a mistake,” one of the fans at the airport told reporters.
Uruguayan President Jose Mujica said he met Suarez after the player’s return and before he was driven away to his mother’s home in the southern province of Canelones.
Mujica said in his weekly radio address that FIFA’s punishment of Suarez would become an “eternal shame” for soccer.
“We think this will be remembered, this will remain among the worst moments in the history of football. This will be an eternal shame in the story of World Cups,” Mujica said.
Later on Friday, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez also condemned FIFA’s punishment, telling reporters Suarez had been a “scapegoat.”
Tabarez also said that the ban had left Uruguay determined to stay in the World Cup for as long as possible.
“To the Uruguayan fans: They, like us, are moved by the resonance of this punishment,” Tabarez said. “I want to let them know that we are hurt, but with our outstanding force and more than ever ... we will do our utmost.”
British media speculated that the sanctions could wipe a substantial amount off the value of Suarez if Liverpool decide to sell him. The English club has not yet commented on the case, insisting it was waiting to see FIFA’s report. After Suarez scored two goals against England, media reports said Barcelona and Real Madrid would be ready to offer 100 million euros (US$136 million) for the striker — triggering a release clause in his Liverpool contract.
Because of the ban, Suarez is not allowed to play in any championship, nor train with any team, until October.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was