Luis Suarez: The Abolitionist (Racist or Simply Misunderstood?)

Over his career, Luis Suarez has had his fair amount of controversies. From his playing days at Ajax to the infamous handball that broke all African hearts, Suarez has had his fair share of detractors.

However, a turning point in his career—and might I add, football—is the racism scandal involving Patrice Evra. For those who do not have an overview of the transpired events, they are as follows: After drawing 1-1 with Manchester United on October 15, 2011, Patrice Evra accused Suarez of abusing him along racist grounds.

Subsequently, the FA opened an investigation and decided that the punishment for the alleged crime was an eight-match ban and a £40,000 fine. Football supporters, players and pundits were divided whether it was a harsh punishment or thoroughly deserved, with Suarez’s club, Liverpool, whole-heartedly supporting Suarez while denouncing the unjust ruling of the FA and also Evra’s statements.

The players from the Uruguayan national team also stood behind Suarez, as did hoards of Liverpool supporters.

In a 115-page report issued by the FA, they claimed that Suarez had "damaged the image of English football around the world". They claimed that Evra had been a calm, credible witness, while Suarez’s plea was riddled with inconsistencies. So the ban stayed, and Liverpool decided not to appeal.

I saw over the Bleacher Report forums several unfounded accusations towards Suarez. Opinion was fiercely divided amongst the two camps—pro-Suarez and anti-Suarez.

This is not the first time that Evra has accused someone being a racist. Evra is no saint either. You have to realize that this is the man who was the captain of the French national team and forced the entire team into disarray and brought a shameful mark upon his country.

Not to digress, but isn’t it ludicrous that such a ban was instituted on Suarez on the sole evidence of Patrice Evra, and Patrice Evra alone? And shouldn’t a ban be instituted for Evra for using the word "South American" in a derogatory way?

Last time I checked, insulting someone on the basis of their nationality also counts as racism.

However, as the dust has settled on this case, I would like to point out why Suarez is not a racist. First of all, the word he used was commonly accepted all over Uruguay, with even the team captain referred with the same term.

And do you honestly believe that fellow players of African descent don’t use the N-word in England?

If you think so, you’re delusional.

So what makes using the word acceptable to some users and not to others, especially those coming from a different culture and background? It is even more insane that the ban was instituted against Suarez, who has grown up in a multi-cultural family himself and has never had a racial issue, although having worked with several ethnicities.

How many of you know that Suarez is sponsor of the social project “From the Streets to the Fields” for almost one and a half years. Through this project, Suarez has been actively fighting against the racism that was instituted from the days of the apartheid.

At the 2010 World Cup, Suarez, along with Andres Iniesta and Carlos Kameni, even filmed a documentary, whose sales go to stamping out racism in South Africa.

As a Manchester United fan, I am thoroughly ashamed by the actions of Patrice Evra and wish Suarez a long, healthy, controversy-free career.