That Bite Cost Him The Entire World Cup

Whoops. Here's yet another reason not to bite people: Uruguay's Luis Suarez was banned from football for four months by FIFA on Thursday for gnawing on Italy's Giorgio Chinellini in a match Uruguay won by a point. He was also banned for a period of ten matches. In short, that bite has cost Suarez — and, by extension, perhaps Uruguay — the World Cup.

The ruling comes in spite of the fact that Suarez launched a compelling defense of his actions on Tuesday evening, telling a Spanish newspaper:

They are things that happen in football, but it was nothing. We're all footballers.

We may all be footballers (wait, I'm not), but we're definitely not all biters, Suarez.

FIFA didn't buy Suarez's defense either. In a statement, FIFA noted that Suarez had "breached" their code by committing "an act of unsporting behavior towards another player." We'll say. In a statement, FIFA said:

Such behaviour cannot be tolerated on any football pitch, and in particular not at a FIFA World Cup when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field.

The Disciplinary Committee took into account all the factors of the case and the degree of Mr Suarez’s guilt in accordance with the relevant provisions of the code. The decision comes into force as soon it is communicated.

The ban came as no surprise: Jim Boyce, the head of FIFA's referee committee, said this prior to deliberating on Suarez's future in the game, according to the Telegraph:

I have watched the incident several times on television. There is no doubt Luis Suarez is a fantastic footballer but, once again, his actions have left him open to severe criticism. FIFA must investigate the incident seriously and take whatever disciplinary action deemed necessary.

Suarez, the "Cannibal of Ajax," has been banned before, not to mention bitten, the Associated Press reports. In 2013, he was banned for 10 games for biting. In 2011 he had to take an eight-match leave and pay $62,000 for calling another player racist names. At the last World Cup in 2010, he stopped a ball with his hand and was kicked out of the game.

He later said: "Truth is it was worth it," according to the AP.

But with his potential for a slot at Real Madrid or Barcelon a potentially in jeopardy (maybe), we're wondering if Suarez would say the same thing again.