Suarez reopens racism row by criticising FA

Liverpool: Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has criticised the FA for the eight-match ban he was given after racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

The 25-year-old was found guilty of racially abusing Evra last October by an independent panel appointed by the FA, and was subsequently handed an eight-game ban, but is yet to publicly apologise to the United defender, and the Uruguayan believes the punishment was wrong and that his conscience is clear.

"The suspension, I suppose, you could call strange and unbelievable," he said in an interview with Russia Today. "There was not a single convincing proof that I had done any of the things they accused me of doing."

"I accepted it without saying anything, obviously because they could have made [the suspension] longer and it would have just made the whole thing continue, but my conscience is completely calm, and so is that of the club and my family.

"Everyone knows that in Uruguay there is a huge black population. I had team-mates and friends of both colours all the time in the national team, in Liverpool, in Holland, where the majority are from Surinam, and I never had any problem with them."

"Holland is one of the countries in the world where there is the highest number of black players and at no point was there an issue."

The ex-Ajax player also felt that his suspension was a conspiracy against Liverpool, but was pleased to see the club and his country stand behind him.

He said: "It seems to me they had to get rid of a Liverpool player and, well, they definitely were gratified by all of this. What the English press has said about me does not interest me. What interests me is what they say about me in Uruguay and in Liverpool, and they have always been very supportive."

After being found guilty, Suarez drew abuse from opposition fans, but the ex-Nacional player admitted he was not put off by the reaction.

"After the suspension I was told the fans would taunt me, they would whistle me, insult me and shout at me, but to be honest it is not something I was worried about," he said.

"Everyone whistled me in all of the stadiums I played in all the time anyway, even before the allegation of racism. I tried to pay it as little attention as possible to focus on what I like to do, which is to play."