Luis Suarez Case: Sanctions Confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but Suspension Limited to Official Matches

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has released its decision inthe appeal of Luis Suarez, FC Barcelona and the Uruguayan FA against FIFA. The CAS Panel haspartially upheld the appeal. The sanctions imposed on the player by FIFA have been generallyconfirmed. However, the 4-month suspension will apply to official matches only and no longer toother football-related activities (such as training, promotional activities and administrativematters).

On 24 July 2014, Luis Suarez, FC Barcelona and the Uruguayan FA filed an appeal against thedecision of the Appeals Committee of FIFA. The Appellants requested that the sanctions bereduced and more particularly that the 4-month suspension be lifted. The case was conducted onan expedited basis and the hearing took place at the CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerlandon 8 August 2014. The player was present and gave a statement to the Panel of CAS arbitrators:Mr Bernhard Welten, Switzerland (President), Professor Luigi Fumagalli, Italy, and Dr MarcoBalmelli, Switzerland.

The CAS Panel found that the sanctions imposed on the player were generally proportionate tothe offence committed. It has however considered that the stadium ban and the ban from "anyfootball-related activity" were excessive given that such measures are not appropriate to sanctionthe offence committed by the player and would still have an impact on his activity after the end ofthe suspension.

Accordingly, the following sanctions have been confirmed by the CAS:

1. Luis Suárez is found guilty of violation of art. 48 par. 1 lit. d) of the FIFA Disciplinary

Code for having committed an act of assault during the match between Italy and Uruguay

played on 24 June 2014 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

2. In application of art. 11 lit. c) and art. 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, Luis Suárez is

banned for nine (9) consecutive official matches of the national team of the Asociación

Uruguaya de Fútbol:

The first ban was fulfilled in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil match Columbia vs.Uruguay of 28 June 2014;

The remaining bans will be fulfilled in the future official matches of the national teamof the Asociación Uruguaya deFútbol based on art. 38 par. 2 lit. a) of the FIFADisciplinary Code.

3. Based on art. 11 lit. c) and art. 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, Luis Suárez is declaredineligible to play in official matches at any level for a period of four (4) consecutivemonths, starting on 25 June 2014.

4. Based on art. 10 lit. c) in connection with art. 15 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, LuisSuárez is sanctioned to pay a fine in the amount CHF 100,000.

The full arbitral award, with the grounds, will follow at a later date and will be published by the CAS.

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