AFP
London: Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was handed a 10-match suspension by the Football Association (FA) on Wednesday following his bite on Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic at the weekend.
Suarez accepted a charge of violent conduct after the incident in the 2-2 Premier League draw at Anfield on Sunday but disputed the FA view that it merited more than a three-game ban.
An Independent Regulatory Commission met in London on Wednesday to decide the Uruguayan international's fate and added seven games to the usual ban for violent conduct.
The suspension begins immediately, meaning Liverpool's leading scorer will miss his side's last four games of the season and the first six at the beginning of next term.
Liverpool, who expressed their shock at the Commission's decision, have until Friday (1100 GMT) to appeal.
"Both the club and player are shocked and disappointed at the severity of today's Independent Regulatory Commission decision," Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre said in a statement on the club's website (www.liverpoolfc.com).
"We await the written reasons tomorrow (Thursday) before making any further comment."
Suarez's bite on Ivanovic's arm at Anfield was missed by referee Kevin Friend but television replays showed him sinking his teeth into the Serbian.
WIDELY CONDEMNED
The 26-year-old Suarez, who was banned for biting an opponent while with Dutch club Ajax before joining Liverpool in 2011, apologised for the bite after the game and was fined a reported 200,000 pounds by the club.
However, he was widely condemned for his behaviour with some media suggesting he was in danger of being sacked by the club.
Former Liverpool player Graeme Souness said Suarez's latest misdemeanour had left him in the "last chance saloon" although the Merseyside club said this week that they wanted the Uruguayan to see out his four-year contract.
The FA said a three-match ban was "clearly insufficient" for the serious nature of the offence.
Controversy has followed Suarez since he joined Liverpool, with his antics often overshadowing his impact on the pitch.
He served an eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra last season and later angered United manager Alex Ferguson by failing to shake the French defender's hand before their league match in February last year.
He has also been regularly accused of diving to win penalties and free kicks, while in an FA Cup tie this season against minor league Mansfield Town he was again criticised for scoring a goal despite a blatant handball.
Until Manchester United forward Robin Van Persie's hat-trick against Aston Villa on Monday that secured the title, Suarez was leading scorer in the league with 23 goals - a record that saw him included on a six-player list for PFA Player of the Year.
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