Suarez turns contrite about bite

Disgraced Uruguay striker Luis Suarez on Monday apologized to Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini for the bite that got him kicked out of the World Cup and banned from all soccer activites for four months.

Suarez acknowledged for the first time that the Italian was bitten.

"I deeply regret what occurred," said the 27-year-old Liverpool striker.

"I apologize to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire soccer family," said a statement on Suarez's official Twitter account.

"I vow to the public there will never again be another incident like this."

Chiellini reacted quickly to Suarez's apology. "It's all forgotten. I hope FIFA will reduce your suspension," he tweeted.

Suarez bit Chiellini during Uruguay's 1-0 win over Italy on June 24, which took the South Americans into the World Cup last 16.

Uruguay was subsequently beaten by Colombia last Sunday.

The prolific striker initially denied the charges against him, telling a FIFA disciplinary commission he lost his balance and there had been no bite.

But within 48 hours of the incident Suarez was handed a four-month ban from all soccer activities, suspended from nine internationals and fined $112,000.

It was the third time in his career he was guilty of biting an opponent.

On Friday he returned to Uruguay, where the sanction triggered national outrage. President Jose Mujica slammed FIFA leaders as "sons of bitches" for imposing the ban.

But Suarez said: "After several days of being home with my family I have had the opportunity to regain my calm and reflect about the reality of what occurred during the Italy-Uruguay match on June 24."

He said there had been "contradicting declarations" of the events but that he had no "intention of interfering with the good performance of my national team.

"The truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collision with me. For this I deeply regret what occurred. I apologize to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire soccer family."

Despite Suarez's denials, the disciplinary commission gave a damning assessment of his actions in its final report, which was leaked to various media.

It said "the offence was carried out directly against an opposing player while the ball was not being disputed, and it was done deliberately, intentionally and without provocation."

The apology came amid reports that Spanish club Barcelona is set to bid for Suarez.

Alejandro Balbi, a lawyer for the player went to Barcelona the day after the bite and media reports said the club had a role in Suarez's act of contrition.

"I hear that Barca insisted on an apology if a transfer is to proceed," Gary Lineker, the former Barcelona and England player who is now the BBC's chief soccer commentator, said on his Twitter account.

Several soccer leaders inside and outside FIFA have said that Suarez - one of the best strikers in the world but also one of the most temperamental - should seek treatment.