NATAL: Allegations that Luis Suarez bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini were part of an English plot to distract attention from England’s World Cup flop writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

That has been the response of some Uruguayan media outlets close to the Celeste who qualified for the second round of the World Cup finals from Group D — while England finished bottom of the table and went home with only one point to their credit.

The Suarez incident occurred 11 minutes from the end of Uruguay’s 1-0 win over Italy and minutes before Diego Godin scored the winning goal.

A report on the website of influential TV channel Tenfield links attacks on the Liverpool striker to bitter memories about how England won the World Cup in 1966.

It claims the clash between Suarez and Chiellini did not become an issue until after the game. The report pointedly notes that the TV direction is controlled by FIFA and not by the Brazilian host broadcaster, TV Globo.

Suarez and Chiellini, it says, collided accidentally after jumping for a cross and that the player was concerned, after falling that he had cut his mouth.

The report adds: “In the TV replay, as viewed in the press area, it appears that Luisito’s face comes in contact with Chiellini without it being clear whether he bites him as was claimed by those – especially the English – who were keen to play down Uruguay’s victory.

“British reporters, in the press conference, asked [coach] Oscar Tabarez three times asked about the incident, saying that: ‘Suarez bit Chiellini.’ Their intention was FIFA should intervene and expel Luisito from the World Cup.

Shoulder contact

“In our view the TV picture is not clear as to whether or not Suarez bites the shoulder of the Italian defender. Note how Suárez stumbles after jumping for the ball and how his face hits the shoulder of the tall Italian player.

“It would be good if these Englishmen, who are concerned to have Suarez suspended, remember how they won the World Cup in 1966 with a ball which was not a goal.”

Both Argentina and Uruguay returned home from the 1966 World Cup believing that they been victims of a European plot.

In the quarter-finals Argentina lost to England after having captain Antonio Rattin sent off by a German referee while, simultaneously, Uruguay lost to Germany and had two players – including captain Horacio Troche – sent off by an English referee.

South Americans felt their suspicions were justified when England and West Germany reached the final which England then won after a controversial third goal in extra time.

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