A Severe but Deserved Punishment for Suarez

Suarez may need this as a lesson that not every action on a football pitch is acceptable

It was a truly great season for Luis Suarez. His performances won him awards and almost took his club to title success. He elevated himself as one of the best in the world. Just last week he was eliminating England from the World Cup, playing a heroic game where he scored two great goals. His talent has always been undeniable, yet his mentality has been in question. After another nasty episode FIFA have sought to act quickly and very sternly to teach Suarez a lesson. As The Whitehouse Address discusses, although the ban appears too severe and excessive it may be justified based on the reaction from Suarez and Uruguay.

If only FIFA would act as swiftly and decisively when addressing issues in their own home, oh how we could wish. Yet in the case of Suarez they have had to act quickly as the media outcry since the bite has made front page global news. 

Before we address Suarez’s mentality this blog believes that there is an obsession with this player by the media and the fans. This blog can be said to have an obsession with the player also, yet in a positive sense. It has written numerous articles proclaiming the talent and attitude of the player. This incident does makes it harder to defend his actions and moment of madness yet the ban given by FIFA was a result of them media’s attention, of that I am sure. 

Had it not been such global news I doubt they would have been so severe in their punishment. For me there are many worse things that happen on a football pitch, yet perhaps none stranger. Spitting is probably the lowest, most dis-respectful act, with a two footed leg breaking challenge the worst. We are talking careers here. Yet both would get what? A three game ban? Suarez’ biting fascination appears to have brought out a side in people which this blog finds interesting.

Whether it is because he plays for one of the world's biggest sides Liverpool, or because the English media has been divided by moments of brilliance and moments of madness, it appears that of all the players in the world, Suarez is the media’s most fascinating. Perhaps rightly so. Not many other players with his profile are serial biters on the football pitch. Not many have the relentless hunger and desire he shows every game he plays, attributes which often muddy the line between fair and foul. 

The act of biting appears to be the lowest form, I heard someone say ‘cowardly’, act a player could do. I don’t agree. As I’ve said I find it strange more than anything. Yet it is the third time he has done and it has happened when the world is watching at the biggest competition in football, and he has done it under FIFA’s eyes and watch. It was a perfect moment for them to act like football’s world governing body, to show that they do take ‘issues’ seriously. It was a good face-saving act from an organisation which has been tarnished by stories of corruption these past few months. 

Yet four months was too much, especially as the ban affects his career with his club rather than his nation. It should either have been a suspension for the tournament, or a 12 months ban from national team representation. To have made it such a stringent and severe ban, banning him from attending stadiums, from training with anyone else, pretty much making him a pariah of football for four months seems slightly insane. 

Was a bite, even though it was the third offence, really deserving of such punishment? Others believe it was lenient, that a year, two or even a lifetime ban was justified. That baffles me somewhat, yet there does appear something about Suarez which brings out condemnation in people. Is he that unlikeable that his actions require such rash and severe judgement?

A cultural lack of acceptance

For Uruguay this incident is being made out to make Suarez a scapegoat. It is an interesting viewpoint, one certainly held by Uruguayans who believe this is a conspiracy against the country, not just from the English and Italian media whose exit is attributed to Suarez, but by a Brasilian FA who have been conspiring to make sure Uruguay suffer this time around. 1950’s wounds are still sore apparently. 

Firstly it was the refusal and confiscation of Uruguay’s dulce de leche, a chocolate spread which all the players and nation adore, when they went through Brasilian customs. That did not go down well. (Luckily they were allowed to bring their Mate through). Yet this Suarez situation is seen as a direct sabotage of their World Cup. Brasil’s way of denying Uruguay any chance of repeating what happened in 1950. And this is where the lunacy and delusions of Uruguay’s reaction to Suarez’s bite makes FIFA’s ban understandable. A lesson must be taught.  

Suarez himself is a wonderful player because he gives his all to every game, he plays with such passion, such drive and desire that it is hard not to view him like a child in his creative, unashamed fashion. He is not a player who has been institutionalised from being at ‘Professional’ Academies where actions, morals and values are taught and pushed on to players. 

In these environments Suarez would have had to grow up, change his childish ways, mature as a man and a player. Had that happened perhaps we wouldn’t have seen this biting incident occur yet we may also not have seen the player we marvel over too. Suarez’s upbringing has clearly moulded the player we see now and we must take into account the culture he has been brought up in. 

The disappointment and anger from Diego Lugano to Chiellini after he ‘told’ on Suarez highlights the world of football in which these players have been brought up in. There is a mentality, a belief that 'what happens on the pitch, stays on the pitch'. It is clearly an environment as close to ‘anything goes’. 

If you’re a kid growing up in this environment then you learn to defend yourself, learn the tricks, the sneaky actions you can take to get an advantage. It is probably as close to old school football as you could get. Elbows, grabs, intentional (accidental) stamps on toes, dead legs. An environment many will struggle in, yet one which a few could rise. Suarez is this player. 

You can see how he seeks to fight for everything, he pulls, grabs and yes bites to gain an advantage. It is what he has learnt to do to succeed. And yet…the world of football he lives in now is very different to that world he came from and developed through. Yet he seemingly cannot stop the acts which made him the player he became. 

To be banned for 39 games as a Liverpool player without being sent off highlights the issue. Retrospective punishment through TV replays would not have happened on the streets of Montevideo. In that world if the ref didn’t see it, or hear it, then you get away with it. Suarez is good at what he does because the ref doesn’t catch him, yet the world of football he is in now will spot it and as has been proven he will be punished.   

Does he mean to be violent and malicious? I don’t think so. He is trying to gain an advantage. Yet the problem with Suarez, with the reaction from the manager, lawyers and even the President of Uruguay is a failure to understand that what Suarez has done is actually ‘wrong’. They appear delusional in their belief that there is nothing wrong with what he did and that it is all a conspiracy against the player and nation. It is this lack of repent which appears to have forced FIFA’s severity. 

Committing a crime and owning up to it often sees leniency for honesty and repent, yet the problem does seem that Suarez sees no wrong with what he does. It is the same with the Patrice Evra situation; Suarez did not believe that he was saying anything wrong. Gus Poyet defended him by ranting and raving about England preaching ‘their’ values to the world, pointing to the fact that other nations and culture do things ‘differently’. That outburst may have been seen to defend Suarez yet all it did was highlight a worrying cultural mentality of causal racism from Uruguayans. Biting appears to be viewed the same, “it’s what we do”.

On the world stage a lesson needs to be taught 

FIFA are a terrible organisation with many problems to address, and one wishes they would act to fix these issues as swiftly as they have done in this case. Yet in the midst of one of the greatest World Cup’s there has been, with the eyes of the world watching, this was an act which had to be punished. As soon it became global news they had to be seen to act. 

Four months may be severe, yet the recurrence of this act from Suarez points to a deep seated psychologically issue which was developed during his teenage years as a player. It was perhaps this ruthlessness which created the player we see now. Of course it is a shame he cannot change his ways, evidently when the line between anxiety and frustration crosses he seemingly cannot control himself, as he is a great player to watch and his club as well as the fans have missed him for too many games because of these actions. 

The question now is, should Liverpool see him? Now that Suarez has become global news, so too have Liverpool. Yet not for the reasons they would want. Reputation and perception are key for John Henry and Fenway Sports Group, yet they also know they have a world class talent in their side, their only one, and thus one does not simply rid oneself of an asset like that. 

With rumours of both Barca and Real Madrid eager to bring Suarez to Spain it may be that a transfer suits all parties. Yet it will not be a cut price deal just because of this incident. Come November he will be back in action and without question the player we have seen these past few years. His value will not drop because of this. Yet he may not be viewed positively by a club like Barca who preach values and morals. Most likely he will still be a Liverpool player come November and if so then I’m sure Brendan Rodgers will be delighted. 

Ultimately it seems a player can do many wrongs and still be welcomed back a hero, as long as he can provide the goals and results a club needs. Suarez is this kind of player. Perhaps this is why he hasn’t fully learnt his lesson, because there is no real sanction or punishment handed out. His apparent head butt as a teenager to a referee was ushered under the table in order to not ruin his career. Liverpool have defended him through multiple episodes. Suarez knows he has the backing of those around him because as a footballer is one of the world's best. That in-itself is a bad lesson to kids, much worse than an act of biting. 

This blog however will defend Suarez because it does not see a bad person, in fact it sees a very honourable and respectful husband and father who loves and adores his family. It sees a man who off the pitch is relaxed and calm. And yet a man who when he steps over the line becomes obsessed with winning, who would do anything it takes to succeed. Time in Europe seemingly has not been able to change the player developed on the streets on Montevideo. 

Yes Suarez has crossed the line between right and wrong too many times now yet is he a bad person? Is he deserving of the media obsession, an almost witch hunt? I don’t think so. Yet when he is considered in the same breathe as players like Messi and Ronaldo there is a way you should be in the modern game, a biter is not one of them. 

The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address

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• Is Luis Suarez Wasting His Career at Anfield?