Concern Over Suarez As Role Model

25 June 2014, 17:58 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Junior football clubs in Wales say Luis Suarez should face a lengthy ban if he's found guilty of biting.

They want to see tough punishments saying children need positive role models to look up to in sport.

FIFA has started an investigation to look into what happened during the Uruguay v Italy World Cup match last night.

Luis Suarez appeared to bite Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder.

Junior coaches say what footballers do on the pitch has a big impact on children.

Peter Bibey volunteers with the Lisvane Panthers in Cardiff. He said: "They come to us dressed in the kit with the names on the back and so forth. They see it on the television, they see the tricks Lionel Messi does and try to copy them.

"What we're looking for is for kids to join sport, enjoy themselves but play it in a fair manner.

"What they see can have a great influence on what they do as players.

"We've got to be very careful that we give a very clear message that they can't bring this into football at any level.

The striker is now facing the possibility of a two year ban and has until 9pm tonight to put his case to FIFA.

He has previously been punished for biting.

Dr Brendan Cropley is a sports performance coach from Cardiff Metropolitan University.

He says Suarez needs help to manage his behaviour: "It appears he struggles to cope with the emotions that are borne out of the stress of big events and almost this red mist - as people call it - drops where he gets this extreme competiveness or anger and as a result it clouds his judgement."

"This is such a complex situation that support needs to be ongoing.

"Until that support is provided then it's likely that those behaviours are going to happen again and again.

"I'm not trying to make excuses for him but that support is needed to help him change his 'hardwiring', if you like."