CAS upholds Suarez ban

Uruguay forward Luis Suarez's four-month playing ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but he can now train with his new club Barcelona, CAS said on Thursday.

Suarez remains ineligible to play in official matches during the four-month period, and his nine-game international ban remains in place.

"The sanctions imposed on the player by FIFA have been generally confirmed," CAS said in a statement. "However, the 4-month suspension will apply to official matches only and no longer to other football-related activities (such as training, promotional activities and administrative matters)."

"The CAS panel found that the sanctions imposed on the player were generally proportionate to the offence committed. "It has however considered that the stadium ban and the ban from "any football-related activity" were excessive given that such measures are not appropriate to sanction the offence committed by the player and would still have an impact on his activity after the end of the suspension."