Nazri: Luis Suarez’s ‘biting’ rep won’t affect Tourism Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Barcelona FC striker Luis Suarez’s disciplinary issues on the field will not affect his role as the new international face of Tourism Malaysia, said Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz (pic).

The Tourism and Culture Minister told the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday that these issues were not taken into account when the year-long partnership with Suarez was signed earlier this month.

“A couple of MPs in the Dewan also have terrible behaviour, but they have their supporters outside as well, so let’s not condemn someone just because of what happened in the past.

“What happened with Suarez was when he was on the field. Besides, if he was very bad, why would he have millions of fans on social media?” he said in reply to a question from Hee Loy Sian (PKR-Petaling Jaya Selatan) in Parliament.

Hee had raised doubts on the appointment of Suarez, who is known for his tendencies to bite fellow footballers during matches.

In 2010, while playing for Ajax in Holland, Suarez was suspended for seven games after he bit PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal on the shoulder.

Three years later, while playing for Liverpool FC, he was suspended for 10 games for biting Chelsea FC’s Branislov Ivanovic on the right arm.

At the 2014 World Cup when he played for Uruguay, Suarez bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini on the left shoulder.

This resulted in a four-month worldwide ban, and a fine of £66,000 (RM362,000).