Luis Suarez: Liverpool FC Deeply Critical of 8-Match Ban for Alleged Evra Racism

Liverpool Football Club today released a statement in which they acknowledged they were "surprised and disappointed" that the Football Association Commission have found Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez guilty of the charge of racism alleged against him by Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

After the game between the two clubs at Anfield on Oct. 15, which finished 1-1, Evra claimed that Suarez had used racist language against him during the match and the FA have taken two months to reach the decision to find the forward guilty since then.

The ultimate penalty has thus been handed down, with Luis Suarez being given an eight-game ban and a £40,000 fine.

While Suarez himself has tweeted that it is a "difficult day" for him, his club Liverpool have gone somewhat further with their response, and with some justification perhaps.

Liverpool FC have, from the beginning of the allegations, backed their player all the way and today were critical of the final judgment and expressed interest towards seeing the final publication of the findings.

The club also enquired as to whether the FA would charge Evra himself of using abusive remarks towards Suarez in the first place.

The club statement reads:

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We find it extraordinary that Luis can be found guilty on the word of Patrice Evra alone when no-one else on the field of play - including Evra's own Manchester United teammates and all the match officials - heard the alleged conversation between the two players in a crowded Kop goalmouth while a corner kick was about to be taken.

The Club takes extremely seriously the fight against all forms of discrimination and has a long and successful track record in work relating to anti-racist activity and social inclusion.  We remain committed to this ideal and equality for all, irrespective of a person's background.

LFC considers racism in any form to be unacceptable - without compromise.  It is our strong held belief, having gone over the facts of the case, that Luis Suarez did not commit any racist act.  It is also our opinion that the accusation by this particular player was not credible - certainly no more credible than his prior unfounded accusations.

It is key to note that Patrice Evra himself in his written statement in this case said 'I don't think that Luis Suarez is racist.'  The FA in their opening remarks accepted that Luis Suarez was not racist.

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Liverpool's statement also infers to Suarez's own mixed-ethnicity background, his work in such organisations and the fact that he has befriended and captained players of various races to point towards the fallacy of charging him as a racist—as well as the words of Patrice Evra himself.

The club also launched a counter-attack of sorts on the FA, questioning their intentions from the outset:

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It appears to us that the FA were determined to bring charges against Luis Suarez, even before interviewing him at the beginning of November.

Nothing we have heard in the course of the hearing has changed our view that Luis Suarez is innocent of the charges brought against him and we will provide Luis with whatever support he now needs to clear his name.

We would also like to know when the FA intend to charge Patrice Evra with making abusive remarks to an opponent after he admitted himself in his evidence to insulting Luis Suarez in Spanish in the most objectionable of terms.  Luis, to his credit, actually told the FA he had not heard the insult.

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Judging by the words of the club, it certainly seems that they had not expected this outcome and, even if this was the case, that they would be prepared to fight it all the way.

An appeal now seems the likely course of action to follow.

Regarding that possibility, the FA have stated that the penalty is suspended pending any appeal.

Two probable options may then follow:

The FA have taken a hard line on the suspension with the view that they would have room to negotiate it down somewhat, perhaps to half that amount to still mete out significant punishment for what is naturally seen as a delicate and important matter. A similar variation would be to reduce the match number but increase the monetary fine.

Alternatively, should Liverpool and Suarez be able to argue sufficiently that the evidence used to arrive at the decision was questionable, as is seemed to be suggested by LFC's statement, the entire ban may be forced to be overruled.

This gives the FA the look that they were prepared to be harsh on such an offence, but ultimately were overruled by the laws and legislation.

The third option, and least preferable of course from the point of view of Suarez and his club, is that the punishment is retained, or even extended.

Call me a cynic for suggesting that the FA are first and foremost covering their own hides with any decision, but the outcome has been far too long coming for any real credibility to be attached to any findings, especially given that this is coming hot on the heels of the FA themselves—and every other personality in English football—attacking FIFA President Sepp Blatter over his comments towards settling racism in football.

Key questions remain to be answered to give a clear insight as to how the commission arrived at their findings:

• Aside from the opinion and words of Patrice Evra, what actual visible or heard evidence was used?
• Who provided the "cultural insights" which the panel were supposed to take into account when looking at the language used by Suarez?
• Why could this commission, which took seven days to come to their decision, not be put together in the days—or even week—immediately following the match and subsequent complaint and report? Why has it taken more than six weeks to be formed and over two months for a final judgment to be handed in?

Liverpool were extremely disappointed with the decision and at this point, they have every right to be.

It is rare indeed that the club will put out such a strongly worded statement into the public domain; the fact that this merely serves to enforce their iron-clad belief that the punishment is unjust, unwarranted and is perhaps being used to serve an example rather than be arrived at pertinent to the incidents at hand.

The coming days will see further reaction and decisions from the club and player over whether an appeal will be forthcoming; with Liverpool due to face Wigan Athletic in the Premier League on Wednesday night, it remains to be seen whether Suarez will be in the right frame of mind to take part.

All eyes will now be on the FA to see if they do indeed go ahead and charge Evra, as Liverpool have enquired, as well as the police commission's enquiries into a similar charge leveled against John Terry.

For now, Liverpool fans can only watch and wait, and hope that—should any evidence point to a not guilty decision, of course—that an alternative decision is eventually arrived at.