Luis Suarez just didn’t get the memo. No biting allowed.
The star forward for Uruguay appeared to chomp down on the shoulder of Italy’s Giorgio Chinellini in the closing minutes of the teams final World Cup group game.
Television replays showed the apparent bite, and Chinellini had the marks on his shoulder to prove it. The attack from behind came just a minute before Uruguay scored off a corner kick to win 1-0 and eliminate the four-time champion Azzurri from the 2014 World Cup.
If in fact Suarez channeled Mike Tyson in this game, it would be his third incident in which he has bitten an opponent.
“He’s a sneak,” said Chinellini after the game to reporters. “The ref saw the bite mark too, but did nothing.”
FIFA could go back to video replay and Suarez could be banned by FIFA for up to 24 matches or two years for his action, according to the governing body’s disciplinary rules.
For now, what action might be taken depends on the match report submitted by Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez. However, there is precedent for FIFA using video review.
Only 14 months ago Suarez received world scorn and spent 10 matches on the bench after biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. That was not the first bite. He got a seven-match suspension in 2010 while playing for Ajax.
Uruguay advanced to the second round of play with the win, but it remains to be seen whether or not Suarez will be on the field for the rest of this World Cup.
Third time is certainly not the charm for Luis Surarez.