Luis Suarez bite: Ban upheld but striker allowed to train

Luis Suarez's four-month biting ban has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but the Uruguay striker can now train with new club Barcelona.
A full explanation of the ruling will not be published until a later date.
Suarez's lawyers argued world governing body Fifa's decision to suspend him from all "football-related activity" for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup was excessive.
Suarez, 27, will be available from the match at Real Madrid on 26 October.
The Uruguay striker will also continue to serve his nine-match international ban but, having previously been banned from all "football-related activity", the former Liverpool player can now train and attend matches as well as undertake promotional activities
Suarez's lawyers say the decision means he can play for Uruguay in friendlies against Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia in September and October, while Barcelona have a pre-season game against Mexican side Club Leon at the Nou Camp on Monday.
Luis Suarez

Andy West Spanish football writer

Barcelona and Luis Suarez's camp are disappointed by this verdict because they were expecting the ban to be halved, which would have allowed him to start playing shortly after the start of the La Liga season.

The silver lining is that he can now commence training with his new team-mates, which means boss Luis Enrique can begin to work out how he will fit in alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar in a mouth-watering front three.

But the court said preventing Suarez from taking part in any football activity was "excessive" as not allowing him to train would have had an impact on the player after the suspension had ended.

Suarez's legal team said the appeal was a success after they argued Fifa had "misapplied its own rules when considering the case and the sanction it imposed was disproportionate".

Although they confirmed the possibility of appealing against the Cas decision at the Swiss Supreme Court, the grounds for appeal are "very restricted".

Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker tweeted : "Luis Suarez's appeal against a four-month ban has failed. He is though, sensibly I think, now allowed to train with the team."

Suarez was a Liverpool player at the time of his clash with Chiellini but has since left Anfield to join Barcelona in a £75m deal.

Barcelona's La Liga season starts at home to Elche on 24 August, meaning Suarez is set to miss eight games before he can make his debut for the Catalan giants.

The ban, handed down by world governing body Fifa, is the longest in World Cup history.