Adidas to halt Suarez adverts in World Cup

Uruguay's forward Luis Suarez celebrates their victory at the end of a Group D football match between Italy and Uruguay at the Dunas Arena in Natal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 24, 2014. Uruguay won 1-0. AFP
Uruguay's forward Luis Suarez celebrates their victory at the end of a Group D football match between Italy and Uruguay at the Dunas Arena in Natal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 24, 2014. Uruguay won 1-0. AFP

Sportswear giant Adidas said it would stop using Luis Suarez, one of its key promotional stars, for World Cup adverts after his four-month ban from football activities for biting Italian Giorgio Chiellini.

"Adidas fully backs FIFA's decision," a spokeswoman told AFP. "We do not accept the recent behaviour of Luis Suarez and shall remind him of the high standards we expect of our players.

"We have no plan to use Suarez for any other marketing activities during the 2014 FIFA World Cup."

FIFA banned Suarez for nine internationals and from football for four months and also fined him 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,000).