Financial upsets for Suarez

888poker's move followed that of sportswear giant Adidas, who on Thursday dropped him from all World Cup advertising.


Afp June 27, 2014

RIO DE JANEIRO: Disgraced Uruguay star Luis Suarez’s pocket started to take a hit on Friday as a major sponsor terminated his contract with immediate effect for biting Italian opponent Giorgio Chiellini which also saw him expelled from the World Cup.

Gibraltar-based website 888 only signed up Suarez after his outstanding season for his club Liverpool but felt the actions of the player on Tuesday left them no choice but to end their relationship.

“888poker signed Suarez for his achievements were widely recognised,” said the company in a statement.

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

Their move followed that of sportswear giant Adidas, who on Thursday dropped him from all World Cup advertising but said they would review the wider deal after the finals are over.

“We do not accept the recent behaviour of Suarez and shall remind him of the high standards we expect of our players,” said an Adidas spokeswoman.

Suarez, who has become a serial biting offender having already served two long suspensions for previous offences, was slapped with an immediate worldwide four-month ban and fined $112,000.

“Such behaviour cannot be tolerated on any football pitch,” said Fifa Disciplinary Committee chief Claudio Sulser.

“In particular not at a Fifa World Cup when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field.”

The sanction on the player was the toughest ever handed down for foul play at a World Cup, surpassing the eight-match ban against Italy’s Mauro Tassotti in 1994 for elbowing Spain’s Luis Enrique. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2014.

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