Tabarez slams media over 'excessive' Suarez ban

Oscar Tabarez inferred the English media were to blame for the “excessive” four-month punishment that was handed out to Luis Suarez.

Tabarez slams media over 'excessive' Suarez ban

Oscar Tabarez inferred the English media were to blame for the “excessive” four-month punishment that was handed out to Luis Suarez.

Tabarez read out a 15-minute long statement in a press conference in the Maracana on the eve of Uruguay’s second round match against Colombia.

In the lengthy ramble, the Uruguay coach said he was standing down from his role on FIFA’s Technical Study Group (TSG) because he thought the record ban on Suarez for biting Giorgio Chiellini was too heavy.

Tabarez thinks FIFA would not have hit Suarez so hard had it not been for a supposed storm he believes was whipped up by the English media.

In a bizarre claim, Tabarez accused “English-speaking” journalists of making a meal of the incident directly after Uruguay’s win over Italy even though it was the third time Suarez had bitten an opponent.

“(It is) a decision which, obviously, is much more focused on the opinions of the media – the media who immediately drew their conclusions at the game – the journalists who concentrated solely on that topic at the post-match press conference,” Tabarez said.

“I don’t know what their nationality was, but they all spoke English.

“They concentrated on the history of Luis because of things that happened in the past. He was sanctioned, he complied with these sanctions, in the past.”

Tabarez read out the statement and then refused to answer any questions from the hundred or so journalists who had assembled for the press conference.

As Tabarez left the room he was applauded by the gathered Uruguayan press.

In another twist to the Suarez saga, Tabarez resigned from his position on the TSG – a group of experts that analyses international matches – because of the punishment given to the striker, who he said had been made a “scapegoat”.

He said: “It is not wise or prudent to be in an organisation with people, those who exerted pressure to promote this decision and those who rendered the award, who managed procedures and values very different to those I have.

“Therefore, in the coming days, I will file my resignation to that position formally.”

Suarez had been measured “by a different meter”, according to the Uruguay coach.

He added: “We forget the scapegoat is a person who has rights. In this specific case, of Luis Suarez, besides the mistakes he might have committed, he’s made significant contributions to football on the pitch, the essence of World Cups.

“They depend upon the contributions by such great players.”

Suarez was given a hero’s welcome when he landed in Montevideo on Friday.

Tavarez hopes his team will be able to beat Colombia despite the omission of their star striker.

Ending his speech, Tabarez said: “To the fans, they, like us, are moved by the severity of this punishment: I want to let them know that we are hurt, but we desire more than ever to do well (on Saturday) and we will do our utmost.”

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