Liverpool will not appeal against Luis Suarez's eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra, the club announced tonight. The Uruguayan forward was handed the suspension by the Football Association on December 20, following a lengthy investigation, as well as being given a £40,000 fine, while the independent regulatory commission's 115-page report was released on New Year's Eve. Having assessed the findings, Liverpool have notified the Football Association they will not contest the ban - which takes effect immediately, ruling him out of tonight's match against Manchester City. An official FA statement read: "Liverpool FC have this afternoon informed the FA that they will not be appealing the decision of an Independent Regulatory Commission in relation to the recently proven misconduct charge against Luis Suarez. "Suarez will be suspended with immediate effect for a period of eight matches, starting with this evening's fixture against Manchester City. "Suarez was also fined £40,000 and was warned as to his future conduct." Liverpool and their manager Kenny Dalglish have been resolute in their support for Suarez since the now infamous October meeting with United. Dalglish and his players wore Suarez T-shirts in the warm-up before their match against Wigan last month, leading to criticism in some quarters. Despite deciding not to appeal, the club released a statement on their official website making their dissatisfaction with the case clear. "Liverpool Football Club have supported Luis Suarez because we fundamentally do not believe that Luis on that day - or frankly any other - did or would engage in a racist act," it read. "Notably, his actions on and off the pitch with his team-mates and in the community have demonstrated his belief that all athletes can play together and that the colour of a person's skin is irrelevant." The statement from Liverpool said: "It is our strongly held conviction that the Football Association and the panel it selected constructed a highly subjective case against Luis Suarez based on an accusation that was ultimately unsubstantiated. "The FA and the panel chose to consistently and methodically accept and embrace arguments leading to a set of conclusions that found Mr. Suarez to "probably" be guilty while in the same manner deciding to completely dismiss the testimony that countered their overall suppositions. "In its determination to prove its conclusions to the public through a clearly subjective 115-page document, the FA panel has damaged the reputation of one the Premier League's best players, deciding he should be punished and banned for perhaps a quarter of a season." The statement went on to make clear Liverpool's continued commitment to anti-racism measures in football. "English football has led the world in welcoming all nationalities and creeds into its Premier League and its leagues below, and Liverpool Football Club itself has been a leader in taking a progressive stance on issues of race and inclusion," it continued. "The Luis Suarez case has to end so that the Premier League, the Football Association and the club can continue the progress that has been made and will continue to be made and not risk a perception, at least by some, that would diminish our commitment on these issues. "It is time to put the Luis Suarez matter to rest and for all of us, going forward, to work together to stamp out racism in every form both inside and outside the sport. "It is for this reason that we will not appeal the eight-game suspension of Luis Suarez."
Sorry but we look stupid as **** if we don't appeal, making everything the club has said ****ing pointless. Quite unbelievable to be honest. Basically after reading the evidence we've realised we don't have grounds for a decent appeal, basically admitting defeat.
Good honest post SKY. If you genuinely believe you are innocent you will do everything you can to clear your name. You wouldn't just accept being found guilty because if you appeal your ban may increase.
You know me and my stance with race and all that SKY. But what I still don't like and it bugs me is the "racial abuse". I know the South American ways so negro for me it just doesn't say "racism" the same with Negao in portuguese, for them the meanings and terms are really loose. I know racist words, I really have strained from putting them as there would be some dumb **** who would use it and go off on a tangent. That is my biggest thing for me along with just the totally contrasting stories it just feels like there are holes throughout it. I am glad though, even with egg on the face, that it is done. We don't need this taking away from what we are trying to achieve. Suarez messed up by giving Evra the oppurtunity.
I dont think the whole saga is over it wouldnt surprise me if legal action is taken against the FA by Suarez himself. I think Alot of consideration has been taken on the fixtures he would miss. As the ban starts today he doesnt miss many key games only the carling cup semi finals and Tottenham but if we progress in either the Carling or FA Cup then he will be available for all our hard fixtures in February (Tottenham, Utd, Everton and Arsenal). If they appealed it would of given us more time to find a striker to replace Luis which might mean we have someone in mind as we only have 1 out an out striker as Bellamy is used mainly on the wings and cant play every game.
Disagree. Feeling that you don't have enough conclusive evidence to appeal and that you're on a hiding to nothing does not mean you accept the veracity of the decision at all- as the highlighted parts above clearly demonstrate. Suarez did not get a fair hearing so is unlikely to get one a second time round. Weird timing though.
I believe this is damage limitation, as we have an FA cup match plus 2 carling cup games in the next 8. Has anyone noticed what the first game back will be!!! Begins win man ends in ure
Liverpool should just have kept quiet until the FA released their report and then said that they don't agree with the verdict but they will accept it and move on. It still wouldn't have looked great but it would have been a hell of a lot better than the way they have gone about. I understand that they wanted to show support for Suarez but it has not done the club's image any good.
Possibly this will force a new face in January and also force the others in the team to find their shooting boots(Carroll namely and Johnson needs to practise more !)
I do agree mate. But it simply comes down to if you call someone a negro in Britain it's a racist term. Suarez should know that or at least of been told it. Suarez has been found guilty of racially abusing someone, after admitting to using the term. His ignorance isn't an excuse and clearly we wouldn't stand a chance of appealing, so we've bottled it. Not happy with our approach to the whole thing. The minute he admitted using the term he was ****ed, so all the t-shirts and 'we'll appeal' bullshit has made our club look pathetic.
Ban is effective immediately I understand. As I suspected I think the lawyers have advised. As for Evra playing the race card, let him do it again and shoot himself in the foot.
Surely if he were to appeal it would be a different panel who would be at the hearing. I find it extrodinary that someone would simply accept a verdict they don't agree with and would not fight to clear their name if they really think they are innocent.
