Sponsor sacks Luis Suarez over biting incident

June 27, 2014 07:29 pm | Updated November 17, 2021 04:24 am IST - London

Gambling website 888poker has "terminated its relationship" with Uruguay's Luis Suarez following his biting the shoulder of Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, the company announced on Friday.

Their move to disassociate themselves from Suarez came a day after the Liverpool striker was kicked out of the World Cup and given a four-month suspension from all football, as well as a nine-match international ban by FIFA, the sport's global governing body, for his attack on Chiellini during Uruguay's Group D win on Tuesday.

"888poker signed Luis Suarez following a fantastic season for which his achievements were widely recognised," the company said in a statement following the third biting incident of the player's career.

"Regrettably, following his actions during Uruguay's World Cup match against Italy on Tuesday, 888poker has decided to terminate its relationship with Luis Suarez with immediate effect."

Gibraltar-based 888 had said on Wednesday it was "reviewing" its relationship with Suarez, who had been an ambassador for the firm, and warned that "we will not tolerate unsporting behaviour".

Their action in ditching the 27-year-old Suarez follows the decision of sports manufacturer Adidas to stop using the player in their World Cup advertising campaign.

But Mariana Ramos, Adidas spokeswoman in Sao Paulo, stopped short of saying the company would axe Suarez from its global roster of star sporting figures completely, telling AFP : "Future plans for after the World Cup will be revised once the tournament is over."

Meanwhile Liverpool said they would make no immediate decision on Suarez's Anfield future.

"Liverpool Football Club will wait until we have seen and had time to review the FIFA Disciplinary Committee report before making any further comment," Ian Ayre, the club's chief executive, said on Thursday.

Uruguay football officials said they planned to appeal against Suarez's ban.

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