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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/25/fifa-opens-disciplinary-proccedings-over-luis-suarez-bite
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Fifa opens disciplinary proceedings over Luis Suárez 'bite' | Fifa opens disciplinary proceedings over Luis Suárez 'bite' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Fifa has opened disciplinary | Fifa has opened disciplinary |
| proceedings against the Uruguay striker Luis Suárez after | proceedings against the Uruguay striker Luis Suárez after |
| he appeared to bite Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini. | he appeared to bite Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini. |
| “Fifa can confirm that | “Fifa can confirm that |
| disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the player Luis Suárez of | disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the player Luis Suárez of |
| Uruguay,” the body said in a statement. Suárez could face a ban of up to | Uruguay,” the body said in a statement. Suárez could face a ban of up to |
| 24 matches if found guilty. | 24 matches if found guilty. |
| The incident occurred during | The incident occurred during |
| Uruguay’s 1-0 victory over Italy, a result that knocked the 2006 champions | Uruguay’s 1-0 victory over Italy, a result that knocked the 2006 champions |
| out of the World Cup. With the score at 0-0, Suárez leaned into Chiellini | out of the World Cup. With the score at 0-0, Suárez leaned into Chiellini |
| before appearing to bite his opponent’s shoulder. Suárez was not punished by | before appearing to bite his opponent’s shoulder. Suárez was not punished by |
| the referee but Fifa said the proceedings related to any “infringements which | the referee but Fifa said the proceedings related to any “infringements which |
| have escaped the match officials’ attention”. | have escaped the match officials’ attention”. |
| Earlier in the day, senior Fifa | Earlier in the day, senior Fifa |
| official Michel D’Hooge told the BBC that “biting is not compatible with | official Michel D’Hooge told the BBC that “biting is not compatible with |
| normal football practice”. | normal football practice”. |
| Jim Boyce, Fifa’s vice-president and | Jim Boyce, Fifa’s vice-president and |
| head of the body’s referees committee, also took a dim view of the incident. “I | |
| have watched the incident several times on television. There is no doubt Luis | have watched the incident several times on television. There is no doubt Luis |
| Suárez is a fantastic footballer but, once again, his actions have left him | Suárez is a fantastic footballer but, once again, his actions have left him |
| open to severe criticism,” said Boyce. “Fifa must investigate the incident | open to severe criticism,” said Boyce. “Fifa must investigate the incident |
| seriously and take whatever disciplinary action deemed necessary.” | seriously and take whatever disciplinary action deemed necessary.” |
| Suárez defended himself on Uruguayan | Suárez defended himself on Uruguayan |
| television after the match. “These situations happen on the pitch. We were both | television after the match. “These situations happen on the pitch. We were both |
| just inside the area; he struck me in the chest with his shoulder and he hit me | just inside the area; he struck me in the chest with his shoulder and he hit me |
| in the eye as well,” he said. “These are things that happen on the pitch and | in the eye as well,” he said. “These are things that happen on the pitch and |
| you shouldn't attach so much importance to them. I'm very happy to have | you shouldn't attach so much importance to them. I'm very happy to have |
| qualified. We are taking each game as it comes. We know that we're in a | qualified. We are taking each game as it comes. We know that we're in a |
| difficult situation; we're at our limits now.” | difficult situation; we're at our limits now.” |
| Some sources in Uruguay believe he has been targeted unfairly. The | Some sources in Uruguay believe he has been targeted unfairly. The |
| website of the Uruguayan TV station Tenfield questioned whether the pressure | website of the Uruguayan TV station Tenfield questioned whether the pressure |
| on Suárez was brought about by the British media. | on Suárez was brought about by the British media. |
| “In the TV replay, as viewed in the press area, it appears that [Suárez’s] | “In the TV replay, as viewed in the press area, it appears that [Suárez’s] |
| face comes in contact with Chiellini without it being clear whether he bites | face comes in contact with Chiellini without it being clear whether he bites |
| him as was claimed by those – especially the English – who were keen to play | him as was claimed by those – especially the English – who were keen to play |
| down Uruguay’s victory. “British reporters in the press conference asked [coach] Óscar Tabárez | |
| three times asked about the incident, saying that: ‘Suárez bit Chiellini.’ Their | three times asked about the incident, saying that: ‘Suárez bit Chiellini.’ Their |
| intention was Fifa should intervene and expel Luisito [Suárez] from the World | intention was Fifa should intervene and expel Luisito [Suárez] from the World |
| Cup … It would be good | Cup … It would be good |
| if these Englishmen, who are concerned to have Suárez suspended, remember how | if these Englishmen, who are concerned to have Suárez suspended, remember how |
| they won the World Cup in 1966 with a ball which was not a goal.” | they won the World Cup in 1966 with a ball which was not a goal.” |
| Suárez has been involved in two biting incidents in the past. He was banned for 10 matches in 2013 for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic and in 2010 while playing for Ajax he was given a seven-game suspension for biting PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal. | Suárez has been involved in two biting incidents in the past. He was banned for 10 matches in 2013 for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic and in 2010 while playing for Ajax he was given a seven-game suspension for biting PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal. |
| Fifa said Suárez and the Uruguayan football | Fifa said Suárez and the Uruguayan football |
| association have until 5pm Brasília time (9pm BST) on Wednesday to “provide their | |
| position and any documentary evidence they deem relevant”. | position and any documentary evidence they deem relevant”. |