FIFA: Suarez ban was justice, not exemplary

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) FIFA's disciplinary committee chairman says Luis Suarez received a just punishment and was not made an example of.

Claudio Sulser told reporters the Uruguay and Liverpool forward's World Cup biting case was ''very severe.''

Suarez was banned for nine Uruguay matches, four months from all football and fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,000) by Sulser's seven-man panel.

Sulser says through a translator: ''one thing I mentioned in my capacity as the chairman is we don't need to impose an exemplary sanction, we need to have justice.''

The former Switzerland player says he could not comment further because Suarez and the Uruguay football federation have appealed.

Sulser confirmed the ban from football activity would not stop Suarez having a medical to complete a possible transfer to Barcelona.