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A full explanation of the ruling will not be published until a later date.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.
He 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.
Cas said: “The sanctions imposed on the player by Fifa have been generally confirmed.”
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”.
Source: BBC
