Luis Suarez bite: Ban upheld but Barcelona striker allowed to train

Luis Suarez's four-month ban for biting an opponent has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

 Luis Suárez attended the court of arbitration for sport on 8 August to have his appeal against a biting ban heard.

Although the court of arbitration for sport (Cas) has upheld the striker’s ban and fine for biting the Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup, Suárez has won a victory of sorts after the punishment was softened.

The 27-year-old remains ineligible to play in competitive matches during the four-month ban period, and his nine-game international suspension stays in place, but he will participate in training on Friday.

Suárez, who has been forced to train alone in a hidden area of Catalonia, can also now, belatedly, be presented as a Barcelona player when the club take on Mexico’s Club León in a pre-season friendly at Camp Nou.

Luis Suarez controversies

June 2014: Banned for four months from any football-related activity, plus nine international matches, for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini

April 2013: Apologises for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic and receives a 10-game ban

Dec 2011: Given eight-match suspension and fined £40,000 for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra

Nov 2010: Given seven-match ban for biting PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal on the shoulder while playing for Ajax.

He will still have to serve the remaining eight games of his record nine-match ban in competitive international games, while his competitive Barcelona debut is likely to be at Real Madrid on 26 October in El Clasico.

But Suarez will now be available for Uruguay's friendlies against Japan and South Korea in September and Saudi Arabia the following month.

Suarez's lawyers argued that world governing body Fifa's decision to suspend him from all football-related activity for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay's 2014 World Cup group match in Brazil in June was too strong a punishment.

Luis Suárez was banned for four months for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.

Switzerland-based Cas - an independent body whose rulings are accepted by most sporting organisations - said: "The sanctions imposed on the player by Fifa have been generally confirmed."

But it said preventing Suarez from taking part in any football activity was "excessive", as not allowing him to train would have an impact on the player after the suspension had ended.

World players' union Fifpro  said it was "disappointed that the court had decided not to strongly diminish the sanctions" and "remain of the view they are disproportionate in relation to his violation of the Fifa disciplinary code".

It added: "We regret Cas not deciding to reduce the length of Suarez's bans in exchange for an obligation for him to receive treatment."

The new Barcelona coach, Luís Enrique, can now integrate Suárez into his rebuilt squad. Questions have been asked about how the striker will fit into a forward line that already contains the attacking prowess of Neymar and Lionel Messi. But knowing that he no longer has to risk throwing Suárez untested into the heat of a clásico will be a huge relief to Enrique, who is under pressure to shift the balance of power in La Liga back from Madrid to Catalonia after taking over from Gerardo Martino in the summer.

The Premier League chief executive, Richard Scudamore, on Wednesday accused Suárez of damaging the league’s image . “He’s great to have but an accident waiting to happen … and this one in the summer, although it was with Uruguay, although it didn’t directly involve the Premier League, clearly it reflected on Liverpool as one of our great clubs. And it reflected on us,” Scudamore said.