Uruguay's soccer player Luis Suarez, center, with his children Benjamin, left, and Delfina, waves to fans from his home, before the start of his team's World Cup round 16 match with Colombia, on the outskirts of Montevideo, Uruguay, Saturday, June 28, 2014. FIFA banned Suarez from all football activities for four months for biting an opponent at the World Cup, a punishment that rules him out of the rest of the tournament. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) (AP2014)
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Luis Suárez has issued an apology to Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini for biting him during a World Cup match and vowed never to do it again.
I vow to the public that there will never again be another incident like this.
The Uruguay striker says in a statement posted on Twitter on Monday that "I deeply regret what occurred," and that "the truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collision he suffered with me."
Suárez was banned from all soccer events for four months after the incident, which occurred during Uruguay's 1-0 win over Italy in their group-stage game last Tuesday. He had denied wrongdoing in a statement to FIFA, saying he simply collided with Chiellini's shoulder.
But on Monday, Suárez apologized to Chiellini and "the entire football family," and said, "I vow to the public that there will never again be another incident like (this)."
For his part, the Italian defender replied to Suárez within half an hour, saying, "It's all forgotten. I hope FIFA will reduce your suspension."
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