Fifa hands Suarez 9-match suspension for biting opponent

[RIO DE JANEIRO] Uruguay star Luis Suarez was suspended for nine matches for biting an opponent yesterday as World Cup chiefs struck back with the heaviest sanction against a player in the tournament's history.

Suarez, who sank his teeth into Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during his team's Group D win on Tuesday, was also banned from all football activity for four months and fined 100,000 Swiss francs (S$140,000).

"Such behaviour cannot be tolerated on any football pitch, and in particular not at a Fifa World Cup when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field," Fifa Disciplinary Committee chief Claudio Sulser said.