Liverpool FC’s Luis Suarez has to wait on disciplinary panel verdict

by James Pearce, Liverpool EchoDec 17 2011

LUIS SUAREZ is available to lead Liverpool’s charge at Aston Villa tomorrow after the FA announced there would be no verdict on his disciplinary hearing until next week.

The Reds striker was expected to discover his fate yesterday but the three-man independent panel need more time to consider the evidence.

A decision won’t be made until at least Tuesday into the allega-tions of racial abuse made by Manchester United defender Patrice Evra at Anfield back in October.

“The Independent Regulatory Commission has confirmed there will be no decision this evening and will continue working through the weekend,” read a statement from the FA. “There will be no announcement on any decision before Tuesday, December 20 at the earliest.”

The hearing began at a hotel in the North West on Wednesday and was expected to be wrapped up on Friday. However, the fact no decision has been reached underlines the complexities of the case.

Evra claimed he had been racially abused “at least 10 times” but Suarez has always protested his innocence and has the full backing of boss Kenny Dalglish.

Both Suarez and Dalglish have given evidence to the panel which is chaired by Paul Goulding QC.

Also on the panel are chairman of Sheffield and Hallamshire FA Brian Jones and former Sunderland boss Denis Smith.

If found guilty Suarez faces a lengthy ban and a heavy fine but Liverpool remain confident he will be cleared.

His former boss at Ajax, Martin Jol, says he would be shocked if the charges against the 24-year-old are found proved.

The Fulham manager said: “At Ajax we had players from all over the world, with all the continents involved and he was good with them all.

“He was my captain and you can imagine I told him it was his job to make them feel comfortable.

“He didn’t speak a lot of Dutch but he did it in his way and for me he was a real leader.

“A real leader would never do things like that. If it is true, I can’t believe it.”

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