Luis Suárez suspended for 4 months over bite

Luis Suárez’s World Cup is over. After biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay’s 1-0 win against the Azzurri on Tuesday, heavy sanctions were expected against the striker, and FIFA have acted swiftly to impose a hefty punishment:

With a maximum of four more matches in Uruguay’s World Cup campaign (and probably fewer since they’ve just lost their best player), Suárez’s nine-match suspension will extend into Uruguay’s participation at the 2015 Copa America. But the more important suspension is the four-month ban from any football-related activity; FIFA’s authority extends to club football when they deem an offence severe enough, and as a result Suárez will be unable to appear for Liverpool in either Premier League, the Champions League or the Capital One Cup until late October.

It’s an extremely harsh punishment, but that comes as little surprise after the third biting incident Suárez has been involved in in four years.