I fear for my Luis! Suarez's mum insists Liverpool striker's not racist as she hits out at the FA
Luis Suarez's mother has broken her silence over the race row that has rocked her son, claiming she fears for his welfare.
Liverpool striker Suarez has just begun an eight-game ban after being found guilty by an independent commission of racially abusing Patrice Evra in October.
The Uruguayan has launched a staunch defence of his character, with the overwhelming backing of his club, on the basis the language used is commonplace in his homeland.
At last: Luis Suarez issued an apology for the racial abuse inflicted on Evra
And now his mother has revealed she
has concerns about how the forward will move on with his life when the
ban comes to an end, while remaining steadfast in her belief at her
son's innocence.
'The truth is that I laugh when they
call my son racist,' she said. 'Nothing could be further from the truth.
It's a shame because it had been a perfect year for Luis.
'I know my son. I know he has to calm down a bit with things like the salute he made to rival fans. But he's no racist.
'One thing is his conduct on the
pitch and another is that they accuse him of being a racist. Nothing
could be further from the truth.
'I’m worried now when I see him on the pitch. I know he’s going to have to look after himself.
Show of support: Liverpool players donned Luis Suarez T-shirts before their 0-0 draw at Wigan
'I'm very worried about his future.
He has his whole future in front of him and there’s a stain on his
character. I hope this will strengthen his character and serve as a
lesson.
'The FA went to town with him by banning him for eight matches.'
The 24-year-old has, along with Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, faced fierce cricticsm for their handling of the situtation.
However, on Wednesday, Suarez finally issued a public apology but stopped short of saying sorry to Evra directly.
The Uruguayan accepted that his
decision to call Evra ‘negro’ during the game at Anfield on October 15
last year had caused offence.
Support: Kenny Dalglish has backed his player
He said: 'I admitted to the
commission that I said a word in Spanish once and only once. I told the
panel members that I will not use it again on a football pitch in
England.
'I never, ever used this word in a derogatory way and if it offends anyone then I want to apologise for that.'
Liverpool have acknowledged that
Suarez, whom the independent commission cleared of being a racist, was
guilty of speaking to Evra in an offensive manner and have accepted the
punishment.
They also feel, though, that Evra
should have faced disciplinary charges for the abusive language he used
in a squabble that started after he made comments about Suarez's sister
in Spanish.