‘ Belated ‘ Suarez ‘ apology ‘lamentable’

LONDON: A leading antiracism campaigner yesterday dismissed an apology from Luis Suarez as “lamentable” following the Liverpool striker’s eight-match ban for abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

Liverpool and Suarez have faced a storm of criticism for their defiant stance since an independent FA disciplinary panel found the Uruguayan international guilty of abusing Evra.

Liverpool confirmed earlier this week that they would not challenge the ban while Suarez said he would accept the punishment with “the resignation of someone who hasn’t done anything wrong”.

In a statement issued late on Wednesday, Suarez apologised for causing offence and insisted he had only used the word negro against Evra once and not several times as it had been alleged.

However, Suarez’s comments were given short shrift by Herman Ouseley, the head of the Fa-backed Kick It Out campaign and the former chief of Britain’s Commission for Racial Equality.

“Suarez’s attempt at a belated apology is nothing short of lamentable,” Ouseley wrote in The Guardian.

“I cannot believe that a club of Liverpool’s stature, and with how it has previously led on matters of social injustice and inequality, can allow its integrity and credibility to be debased by such crass and illconsidered responses.

“Liverpool FC need to take a hard look at themselves and how they have responded to the complaint.”

Meanwhile, Professional Footballers Association chief Gordon Taylor told Sky Sports News that the Suarez ban sent out a strong message that authorities had a zero tolerance attitude towards racism.

“It’s a lesson to all of us ... that all players coming into our game from different countries understand and accept what we are about – equality and diversity,” Taylor said.

“We don’t want him (Evra) feeling a victim. We want our black players to feel comfortable that racism can be dealt with in football terms, as well as the law.“– SAPA-AFP