Online poker site 888 is considering dropping Luis Suárez as one of its brand “ambassadors” after the soccer player apparently bit another player during a recent World Cup game.
According to the Guardian, 888 is “reviewing” the high-profile sponsorship deal.
Suárez, who is from Uruguay, has been accused of biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini. FIFA reportedly is reviewing the incident, even though Suárez wasn’t penalized during the match. He could be booted from the tournament. Suárez has been suspended twice previously for biting sweaty football players during matches.
“Following the allegations made against Luis Suárez in regards to his behaviour during Uruguay’s World Cup match against Italy, 888poker is seriously reviewing its relationship with the player as we will not tolerate any unsporting behaviour,” the firm said in a statement.
While the bite has caused quite a stir among football fans and the tunnel-visioned mainstream media, the misconduct on the field pales in comparison to what is going on in the streets of Brazil, as many have suffered violence and oppression stemming from World Cup preparations.
“I’m totally against the Cup,” one protester in Sao Paulo told the Associated Press earlier this month as the tournament was about to begin. “We’re in a country where the money doesn’t go to the community, and meanwhile we see all these millions spent on stadiums.”
Meanwhile in the United States (including at the WSOP in Las Vegas), Americans have rediscovered the world’s most popular sport—but will forget about it in about a month.
