THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE of the Professional Footballers’ Association, Gordon Taylor, has expressed reservations about Liverpool’s defence of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez.

According to the Telegraph’s Luke Edwards, Taylor’s primary objection stems from the oft-touted suggestion that alleged cultural differences should excuse the striker from punishment.

“A lot has been made about different cultures and what is deemed to be racist abuse there… But the point is, if it isn’t wrong to make reference to somebody’s skin colour [in another country] in this way, it should be.”

That position, of course, only becomes pertinent if the linguistic differences in question are proven to be valid; a point on which the chief executive has yet to be convinced.

“I’ve travelled the world a lot and this defence that it is OK to make reference to the colour of somebody’s skin in South America in a jovial manner, well I’ve not heard that before. In the past we’ve been told that spitting [at someone] is common in South America and I’ve not seen that either.”

Suarez, who was handed an eight-week suspension and £40,000 fine by the FA for abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra, is currently debating whether or not to appeal the judgement.

Read more on this story from the Telegraph>

Stan Collymore documents Twitter racism following Suarez ban>

The Redzone: No fairytale of New York for the Jets>