Suarez accepts biting charge

Suarez accepts biting charge

Published Apr. 24, 2013 7:15 a.m. ET

Liverpool forward Luis Suarez has accepted an FA charge of violent conduct for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic at Anfield on Sunday.

However, Suarez disputes the FA's belief that the standard ban of three matches is insufficient in this instance, due to the severity of his offence.

Suarez will learn his fate on Wednesday, when an Independent Regulatory Commission, consisting of a chairperson, a former professional footballer, and a member of the FA Council, will hear the case.

The 26-year-old Suarez has regularly been embroiled in controversy since arriving at Liverpool in 2011 and was given an eight-game ban last season when he was found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra.

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He has been in superb form this term but found himself in trouble once again when he bit Ivanovic on the arm during the second-half of Sunday' Premier League contest.

Apologised subsequently

The officials missed the incident and Suarez went on to score an extra-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw but he subsequently apologised to Ivanovic, was fined by Liverpool, and hit with the FA charge.

Suarez was suspended for seven matches in 2010 for biting a player while playing for Ajax and the FA intend to argue that he should once again be given a lengthy suspension.

However, an FA statement read: "Suarez has denied the FA's claim that the standard punishment of three matches is clearly insufficient for this offence.

"The incident was not seen by the match officials and has therefore been retrospectively reviewed."

Wednesday's crucial hearing will take place via video conference and will feature written submissions only, as part of the FA's fast track disciplinary process.

There is no standard minimum or maximum punishment for biting in football's disciplinary code and Suarez will be entitled to appeal if he feels any ban is too severe.

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