Around the globe, World Cup fans watched in horror as Uruguay forward Luis Suarez appeared to bite the shoulder of Italy center back Giorgio Chiellini. Suarez and Chiellini both went down after the play, with Suarez grabbing his mouth. Pictures later surfaced showing what appeared to be bite marks in Chiellini's shoulder.
Yes. Luis Suarez bit someone again at the World Cup http://t.co/EP7Uzhoi1Y
https://t.co/awuTCJBG1v
— Post Sports (@PostSports) June 24, 2014
Suarez already had two biting affairs, in 2010 and 2013, but the most famous bite in sports was on June 28, 1997, in Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson II, also known as "The Sound and the Fury," at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ear twice, with a piece of ear cartilage coming off at one point.
Holyfield may or may not have been watching the Uruguay-Italy game Tuesday, but about an hour after the incident, Holyfield took to Twitter.
I guess any part of the body is up for eating.
— Evander Holyfield (@holyfield) June 24, 2014
And there you have it, folks. Evander Holyfield joked about a biting incident in a professional sporting event.
Suarez was suspended seven games in 2010 for a bite while playing for the Dutch club Ajax. Then playing for Liverpool on April 21, 2013, in a 2-2 draw versus Chelsea, he bit Branislav Ivanovic. Suarez, who led the Premier League in goals in 2013-14 with 31, was given a 10-game suspension and issued an apology.
In 2011 Suarez was found guilty for racial abuse. The Football Association in England gave Suarez an eight-game suspension and £40,000 fine for that incident.
For reference, Tyson's boxing license was revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and he was fined $3 million after the fight. His license was reinstated on Oct. 19, 1998.
There are many questions as to the extent of Suarez's punishments. There is a legitimate chance Suarez could be banned from the World Cup, and some are asking for him to be banned from professional soccer. The Tyson precedent could be used against the star.
Oh, and here's another interesting twist in the Holyfield/Tyson-Suarez/Chiellini connection: Ian Darke, ESPN's lead play-by-play announcer for the World Cup, was on the call for the Tyson bite, although he did not work the Italy-Uruguay match Tuesday.
