University News Last updated 26 June 2014
Luis Suarez must stop blaming the UK media and acknowledge his problems before he can genuinely change his behaviour, an expert Forensic Criminologist at Birmingham City University said.
Professor David Wilson suggested that Suarez, the Uruguayan striker who appeared to bite the ear of an Italian player during a match on Monday, is likely to offend yet again within a year unless he properly addresses his issues.
"He needs to acknowledge that he has a problem before he can start to change. What he is currently saying about it being 'one of those things that happens on a football pitch', or that it has all been blown out of proportion by an obsessed UK media, are standing in the way of him taking the action he needs to finally bring this repeat offending to an end.
"His Uruguayan teammates have a responsibility to help him in this too, to stop supporting his dubious lines of defence. He can't get on with his career in a meaningful way unless he faces up to his behaviour, and those around him have a part to play in that process.
"We know this isn't an isolated incident and in fact the time between his pitch biting is getting shorter. He first bit in November 2010 when he was playing for Ajax, and then again when he was playing for Liverpool against Chelsea last year. The gap between the first and second incidents was 28 months, and the gap between the second and third just 15 months. As a criminologist it is feasible to predict the next incident will happen even quicker, unless there is significant remedial action."