Barcelona striker Luis Suárez has "failed in an attempt to reduce his four-month suspension" following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, according to Chris Bascombe of the London TELEGRAPH. He will, however, "be allowed to train" with his team following an "amendment" to his FIFA punishment. Suárez is also "available for friendly matches." Suárez, who joined Barcelona in a £75M ($125M) transfer this summer, "was suspended from all football related activity for four months for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup" (TELEGRAPH, 8/14). In London, James Orr reported Suárez will "now be eligible to play in a Barcelona shirt for the first time as soon as Monday," when the club meets Liga MX side Leon in a home preseason friendly, "as it is not classed as an official match." However, he will "have to wait until after his ban ends" on Oct. 25 to make his competitive debut. CAS allowed him to train after "ruling that FIFA's ban from all football-related activity was 'excessive'" (INDEPENDENT, 8/14). Also in London, Matt Cotton reported before the hearing, Suárez's legal team was "confident of significantly shortening the suspension on the ground that FIFA does not have the power to ban him from domestic club games." He will miss "as many as 11 matches for Barcelona at the start of the season, including three Champions League ties following their opening La Liga match against Elche" on Aug. 24 (LONDON TIMES, 8/14). The BBC reported Suárez'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." Though his legal team "confirmed the possibility" of appealing against the CAS decision at the Swiss Supreme Court, the grounds for appeal are "very restricted." TV 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" (BBC, 8/14).
