Liverpool have reacted with unbridled fury over the 8-match ban imposed on star-striker Luis Suarez, but according to a lawyer specialising in European Law, the club may have opened itself up to some serious legal repercussions.
Minutes after the Suarez decision was announced by the FA, Liverpool posted an emotive and (arguably) ill-advised statement on its website, which basically questioned Patrice Evra's character.
Stuart Miller, the senior partner of European business law firm Miller Rosenfalck, told Goal.com that Man United defender might have grounds to file a claim for defamation:
"It [Liverpool's statement] is undoubtedly defamatory of Liverpool towards Evra as the statement says something negative about him and his credibility.
"He could sue Liverpool, but he will wonder if there is any point. There are two purposes to a defamation case: damages and restoration of reputation. In general, credibility issues are not great for footballers.
"Both Evra and Liverpool could afford the lawyers but I don't see it as realistic.
Miller also suggested that the FA have excellent grounds to take further action against Liverpool:
"Liverpool are skating on very thin ice for their statement released on Tuesday night, in which there is suggestion of a witch hunt and an agenda against the club.
"For Liverpool to question the neutrality of the IRC could get them into trouble for bringing the game into disrepute. It's jaw-dropping to suggest there is an agenda at work.
"They have sailed into very stormy waters and I would expect the FA to launch proceedings against Liverpool."
Further reading:
* Why Liverpool and Suarez should sue Alex Ferguson for defamation
* SUAREZ: Why it's Liverpool's fault if people label him a 'racist'
* Suarez-Evra Hearing: Potential bias and the Man United connection
* Debunking Liverpool FC Myths: No 11 - Patrice Evra has a history of making race complaints
Jaimie Kanwar
Minutes after the Suarez decision was announced by the FA, Liverpool posted an emotive and (arguably) ill-advised statement on its website, which basically questioned Patrice Evra's character.
Stuart Miller, the senior partner of European business law firm Miller Rosenfalck, told Goal.com that Man United defender might have grounds to file a claim for defamation:
"It [Liverpool's statement] is undoubtedly defamatory of Liverpool towards Evra as the statement says something negative about him and his credibility.
"He could sue Liverpool, but he will wonder if there is any point. There are two purposes to a defamation case: damages and restoration of reputation. In general, credibility issues are not great for footballers.
"Both Evra and Liverpool could afford the lawyers but I don't see it as realistic.
Miller also suggested that the FA have excellent grounds to take further action against Liverpool:
"Liverpool are skating on very thin ice for their statement released on Tuesday night, in which there is suggestion of a witch hunt and an agenda against the club.
"For Liverpool to question the neutrality of the IRC could get them into trouble for bringing the game into disrepute. It's jaw-dropping to suggest there is an agenda at work.
"They have sailed into very stormy waters and I would expect the FA to launch proceedings against Liverpool."
Further reading:
* Why Liverpool and Suarez should sue Alex Ferguson for defamation
* SUAREZ: Why it's Liverpool's fault if people label him a 'racist'
* Suarez-Evra Hearing: Potential bias and the Man United connection
* Debunking Liverpool FC Myths: No 11 - Patrice Evra has a history of making race complaints
Jaimie Kanwar
The FA can go F*** themselves. It was a witch hunt as John Barnes said. Its them trying to get at Blather.
ReplyDeleteI hope Evra sues the ass off your racist club
ReplyDeleteEvra is not a forward :)
ReplyDeleteJohn Barnes is a prick who wants todays black players to go through what he went through.
ReplyDeleteJohn Barnes is an asshole who wants todays black players to go through what he went through.
ReplyDeleteThat's 1 lawyers opinion, as in law theres always a way out or as they call it 'a loop hole'. I expect this case to drag on for some time, the FA need to release the papers asap.
ReplyDeleteThee maybe alot in the country against our club, but theres far more around the world backing LFC including FIFA
That's cos FIFA are racist too, now that's something to be really proud of
ReplyDeleteEvra is a proven liar. He accused Steve Finnan of being racist. A Lie. He then accused chelsea ground staff of being racist. Another proven lie. Now Suarez is his target. He was also one of the ring leaders of the french world cup revolt and banned by his own fa for that. A horrible little man.
ReplyDeleteSee what they dish out to ENGLANDS CAPTAIN if its not double Suarez's ban then the FA themselves are clearly the biggest racists out of everyone
ReplyDeleteTommy: Evra did not accuse Finnan or Chelsea ground staff of being racist. That is a complete myth:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.liverpool-kop.com/2011/12/debunking-lfc-myths-no-11-patrice-evra.html
Now you know it's not true, you don't have to go around saying it anymore.
Neither
ReplyDeleteLiverpool nor Suarez have been charged with Racism. Suarez has been charged with
using language that the FA deems to be racist.
Strange
how over 400 MILLION Hispanophones
disagree
Try acting
like your user name and wait for the facts and not ignorant idiot spouting
libellous claims
It would also be
interesting to know if any of the people comments about Suarez racially abusing
Evra on various articles have done any research or can actually speak Spanish,
or have ever left the UK..Or even have a passport!
Just a question for you guys why the lack of black players in the Liverpool 1st team, i mean even in Kenny's first spell i can only remember John Barnes a bit odd don't you think?
ReplyDeleteJaimie Wankar is a Fucking Manc. Virtually every story he comes up with has negative connotations for our Club. Fuck off up the road you prick.
ReplyDeleteI think you will find 'Stuart Miller', Patrice Evra used a racist term towards Suarez, yet was not fined at all, so this comment 'for Liverpool to question the neutrality of IRC could get them into trouble for bringing the game into disrepute' is actually a fair argument. Evra used the term 'Sudaca' which only has racist connotations and is as bad as calling someone a 'Ni**er', whereas Suarez used the term 'Negrito' which can have racist connotations but is generally considered to be a term of endearment such as calling someone a pal in English. Just ask Javier Hernandez of Man Utd who used it to refer to a friend. If you ask me Evra had a bigger case to answer than Suarez, but who ends up with the ban? And who gets no ban? Laughable. Please Tell this 'Stuart Miller' to go represent the FA in this mystical 'case' they can bring against Liverpool so I can watch his ass get handed to him.
ReplyDeleteWait for the facts you say? You mean just like you idiots who go around abusing your ex black players on twitter for having an opinion. Pot, kettle and black come to mind!
ReplyDeleteyes but jamie did not give evidence in chelsea ground staff issue and wasnt his evidence rejected as being false?
ReplyDeleteunbiased your an idiot, wind your neck in. 3 blck guys rob a white man its a mugging.
ReplyDelete3 white guys rob a blck guy its a racist attack.
get in the real world.
your just talking total tosh and your obviously anti liverpool with big blinkers on sad-o
Evra went along with it. When did he defend either Finnan or the chelsea groundsman. I agree totally with Kenny, The Club and the players. Suarez is mixed race himself. His grandfather is black. His comment was not meant as a racist remark and is not one either. All his compatriots have defended him, they know the man better than you or me. When nice guys like John Barnes and Gus Poyet and Glen Johnson come out in support of Suarez thats enough for me. Evra has been envolved in too many incidents over the years for anyone to take him seriously.
ReplyDeleteunbiased shut the fuck up you little prick don't ever try and make lfc or dalglish look racist you sad fucking manc cunt p.s he called evra negrito which either refers to a race of people who were called negrito due to them being of smaller stature to other african/black african people or in the term suarez meant little black man now lets go to john terry fucking black cunt well i know which is racist or sounds more disgusting thats right its john fucking terry i don't care about grammar or spelling i'm in rage mode because of cunts like you p.s where suarez is from negrito is not racist at all so fuck you fuck fergie and fuck that fucking cunt evra oh and for the record suarez's grandfather is black which in my book makes him 1/4 black himself eh fucking liverpool hating bitch go fuck your mum you motherfucking inbred twat
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell you talking about BHOFF23? I never mentioned anything about people mugging each other, and no im not a Liverpool fan im a football fan, but poor little Liverpool are playing the victim card yet again when the real victim is Patrice Evra
ReplyDeleteI take my remark back about the club being racist, but the fans are! Now SUE me!
ReplyDeleteYes Evra did give evidence. And it was all False. Conviently forgotten Jamie so you can include that next time for a bit of balance.
ReplyDeleteBELEND, R U A PAKI TWAT. GO BACK OME 2 UR MUD HUT TWAT
ReplyDeleteyour calling liverpool a racist club. your clearly deluded and dont understand the world you live in let alone football.
ReplyDeletebecause evra is coloured oops cant say that either, because he is black he can give abuse ie anything goes obviously apart from if your white you cant say jack regarding where people come from and colour.
by the way where is that hardcore evidence? oh no just dont like liverpool, perfect lets stick the knif in.
evra is such a nice honest guy, has no history of being a bad human being and never causing conflict. your deluded man i could waste more of my time but your blind.
so mr football fan did you actually watch the game lfc vs mu??
evra was queeky clean and well behaved was he??
he went looking for trouble and got it........couldnt get a reaction ie bitten by suarez.........so like a piece of s#ite he is plays the racist card its so obvious. funny out of ten times not one his team mates heard anything eh.
your no football fan, your just a racist yourself towards scousers and people who love LFC
The only Black player that has come out with a negative opinion to this is a guy called Paul McGrath..
ReplyDeleteThis is the same pathetic person who revealed what Ron Atkinson said about Marcel Desailly and
who called black players c***s in training, again.....revealed by none other than Paul McGrath, who also
called him "an inspiration to black players."
Pot calling the kettle black. HAHAHA
Oh and by the way...you do seem like the sort of person who believes what he reads...so If I, make a twitter account, add a picture of Giggs and proceed to abuse any ex player..would you then say that I am a Man Utd fan abusing someone on Twitter? I personally know Chelsea fans who have done this under the guiose of man u and liverpool fans because people believe what they read
Get out you house and see the world as it is
we cant have an opinion on an ex player because he happens to be blck lol how funny do you sound.
ReplyDeleteIt's absolutely tru that Evra has never been guilty of racist accusations; but it's also true that he's been banned for giving 'unreliable evidence'- Could anyone say that about Suarez?
ReplyDeleteWho cares less if that's what Stuart Miller thinks? Suarez also has grounds for defamation against Evra; & possibly against the FA
ReplyDeleteha ha well said, hes an angry little man, who cant stand liverpool lol. racist
ReplyDeleteMerry Xmas Liverpool fans i love you all really NOT!
ReplyDeleteMan Utd Fan
correctomundo! and they've even got concrete evidence and not hearsay just like this Suarez-Evra thingy.
ReplyDeleteIf someone was really racist towards ethnic minorities - do you think they would want any of associations with them?! Liverpool FC rely on the support they receive from Asian and African countries. Another point I would like to mention is that Suarez has been found guilty and he messed up but Evra should also be punished for his part played in this mess. All supporters of this football club will always stand by Liverpool no matter where in the world we come from!
ReplyDeleteYNWA
like i said deluded and clueless.
ReplyDeletewats the weather like down in cornwall at the moment??
or you ventured out?? i heard theres a village missing its idiot??
And u think that is a solid ground for what? Don't start putting negative ideas into people's head. Get yourself a team to manage and coach then pick your own players. Your username is well coaxed and just an opinion of yours, but it doesn't reflect yourself. You are bias and you are a racist, but that's just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteSpoken like someone with real knowledge. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteIt's very snowy down in cornwall have you ever been? Oh and i have always been the village idiot so what's your point? you see unlike you i don't rise to the bait.
ReplyDeleteNo ones gonna sue a sorry ass like you. Look clearly in the mirror and you'll see who the racist is. And if you see Liverpool fans being racist, it only proves you are one. As the saying goes: takes a thief to catch a thief. Kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteUnbiased, are you alone this Chrismas by any chance you sad person?
ReplyDeleteWhy wouldn't you let me reply to that guy Jaimie?
ReplyDeleteThis thread is descending into a slanging match, so I deleted some posts. Can everyone stop hurling insults please. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteStuart Miller needs to re-read the statement. It doesn't question Evra's credibility, merely the credibility of his accusation, hardly defamation of Evra's character.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, it's odd how Miller makes no mention of newspapers calling Suarez a racist - that is defamation of character, and indeed more likely to be considered libelous.
Never heard of (Stuart) Miller Rosenfalck anyway. Good publicity for (his) the firm though, I guess. Also, I would strongly suspect Liverpool have a more able lawyer at the club, or indeed access to top law firms, that are more capable than the likes of Stuart Miller, who woulld've risk-assessed the statement.
Intelligent conversation with regard to football? No chance
ReplyDeleteDefamation, racism, discrimination etc....... most people who post online don't possess the capabilities to discuss these topics in depth
Football debate = mindless tribal nonsense perpetrated by "fans" who most often aren't even from the same city
Jaimie, you deserve some sort of award for attempting to scour some sensible discussion from "fans". Your site does allow Liverpool fans, such as myself, to voice concerns over Liverpool's handling of entire situation, I hope you are generating somne sort of income to trawl through this horseshit
The FA have released a judgement without documentation. They are an utter joke
Since when are goal.com reliable?
Liverpool's statements are most likely drafted by lawyers anyhow, so I'm sure they are picking their words correctly
I hope fleas infest the underside of your balls....
ReplyDeletebwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaha Evra the victim?????? bwaaaaaaaaahahahahahaha "Ref you only book me cause im black!!!!!" Boooooooohooooooo
ReplyDeleteWhat a prick...a football fan hahaha...hiding everywhere...typical scambag
ReplyDeleteEvra has to get banned also for using that term towards Suarez it's a RACIST gesture especially when the word Sudaca was used..
ReplyDeleteMany South Americans would have been offended by that word.
have a look at the video on you tube
ReplyDeletePatrice Evra and his high pitched voice enough said
Simon- Jamie is doing a fantastic job here and off course he is making a healthy income through this site...
ReplyDeleteThe mancs pay him handsomely for his well thought out pieces.
This lawyer is obviously another Man U fan !
ReplyDeleteNever mind, we want justce and should be willing to fight for it. This is just an eye opener to see the rotten stuff, the FA is made of.
ReplyDeleteWhy have the FA still not provided their conclusions for banning Suarez? They have no proof from any individuals of what was said on that day. They have based it on what Evra has vomited which is scandalous.
ReplyDeleteI can bet discussions between LFC and the FA have already began and is being kept behind closed doors...
Now Suarez a person of COLOUR has been given the label of being a racist. It just shows how pathetic this whole situation is. I hope and pray that the FA and Evra pay the ultimate price for this bullsh** which will be a warning to those who want to play the racist card to their advantage in the future.
We don't need no water let the motherfkrs burn, burn FA and Evra, BURN!!! Racist pigs.
why are you here, not the website, earth.
ReplyDeleter u evra "ball" licker?Y u say like that?r u give ur wife to that black little negro bastard fellow
ReplyDeleteJust the sort of insidious little little 'just a question' remark that you will hear from someone on a witch hunt. Odd don't you think?
ReplyDeleteAh Paul Mc Grath who backed ex MUFC boss Ron Atlkinson over his infamous Nigger comment
ReplyDeleteWhat a ridiculous question!......YOU really are a plonker!
ReplyDeleteMay because football is abused by all these bodys fighting some cause that all football fans are generalized as racist,sexiest,hooligans or homophobic just because football is the most popular sport these groups exploit football and most of them don't even like the game.
ReplyDeletecoward put your name scum
ReplyDeletedo one dick head you manc
ReplyDeletewhy you coward manc
ReplyDeletecoward dont post if you aint got the bollocks to put your name
ReplyDeleteomg. You are so right. Are you going to take this to the FA and say Liverpool are racist now. You are no different to Evra, assuming everything is racist by your own biased perception.
ReplyDeleteA black man from Uruguay would never have acted the way Evra did. Evra is the only one that thinks its racist, but you go to someone of the same black ethnicity in Uruguay and they disagree.
Cultural differences brought this about, but of course when it comes to the God Blessed land of England, who are expected to win a world cup every time it comes around, actually own rights to the Spanish language and put there own English meanings to them.
I seriously think we should give consideration to pulling out of the premiership and forming our own european league.Its been thought of before.What Suarez should do is sue somebody for calling him racist,the daily mirror anyone then when he wins it will make the FAs decision look ridiculous.Also nobody should ever give their support to the national team ever again,not that many people do anyway.In England footaball is a joke its like wrestling you know man utd will get all the decisions before the game even kicks off and Howard Webb is the most obvious referee who favours man utd all the tiime,no wonder all the man utd players walk off the pitch with him laughing and joking all the time to pander to this mans ego.
ReplyDeleteIf your old enough to know better, than advise you to grow up.
ReplyDeleteSilly childish nonsense
No not really it's not South Africa!
ReplyDeleteI thought Collymore was English!
ReplyDeleteWhere is all this going - F A have opened a can of worms - all Latin Amwerica votes for England to stage a World Cup are gone forever - Tevez Suarez etc but in truth England were never going to get it anyway despite employing rge great Becks
ReplyDeleteOk, so let's get something straight here.... we can call someone black, even though they are actually not black at all, we can't call someone coloured despite the fact that they are coloured (brown is a colour, black isn't!) and we regularly refer to whites even though white people range anywhere between pasty yellow through pink to tanned or olive skinned (more colours!)
ReplyDeleteBeing ANY colour at all has nothing to do with what race you are but when people make comments about colour we insist it must be racism but if someone refers to 'a Welsh twit' - which is a clear reference to the person's race - that isn't racism, it's just banter.
Suarez is not 'black' or even 'dark brown' but he's most definitely not white, my goodness chaps he's not even bally well English don't you know! So how can a comment from him about another person's colour be racist? Colourist maybe but no wait, that can't be right, colourism isn't an offence.... or is it? I mean poor old Alan Hansen got in trouble for calling some people 'coloured'.
Oh dear, what a stupid mixed up world we live in!
By the rules of the FA, the Olympic flag is offensive and racially abusive. It has black, yellow, red, blue and green rings on it. The colours represent the peoples(races) of the five continents (and the colour of their skin). Yellow is Asia, Red is Europe, Blue is Americas, Green is Australia, and BLACK is Africa.
ReplyDeleteIn light of this, the FA should withdraw the England squad from the 2012 Olympic Games. By their own rules, if they participate, they are being racists.
Wow !! you expect Evra to defend Finnan and the Chelsea groundmen. Can you read ?? He wasn't aware !!! For all he knew he was racially abused. He kept away from all of it. The evidence is in front of you. I would generally refrain from getting into an argument with an ignorant person like you but what you are saying about Evra is totally out of line. He is a premier-league player and he deserves respect. He has been vindicated this time around. And don't forget how much Suarez and Kenny Dalglish have spoken to the press about this issue. Have you heard even a single word coming out of Evra's mouth?? Has he tried to clear his name in front of idiots like you ?? No, very smartly he has stayed quiet throughout while Suarez and kenny spouted nonsense pretty much affirming their guilt and making the FA's decision easier.
ReplyDeleteSo does that mean you can shout 'nigger' in his face and he that his testimony should not be believed just because he gave unreliable evidence (I don't belive you but Im going along just for argument sakes) in a prior case. Suarez has bitten people in the past. So does he deserve to be instantly punished in case of any physical altercation on the football pitch without proper evidence of who actually attacked whom ?? You are clutching at straws here. Suarez ADMITTED calling him 'negrito'. Its not allowed.OVER.
ReplyDeleteI can't really think of any point in responding to a person who doesn't reason, but I'll give it a try:
ReplyDelete1) LFC clearly believe Mr Evra is not entirely reliable in his accusations, which included the claim that he was 'abused at least ten times; but I see no action from Evra about the possibility of a defamation lawsuit - perhaps racism didn't occur 10 times.
2) Evra gave unreliable & "exaggerated" (FA's Regulatory Commission's word, not mine) testimony, after which he was banned. Incidentally, isn't it ironic that, after publishing their report, the FA claimed to be doing so for 'greater transparency'!
I'm 'clutching at straws'? No, that's what you call displacement, a little like that being employed at Old Trafford. You have nothing more than speculation about what Suarez 'admitted', which is exactly the same 'source' that Evra's "abusive &/or insulting words &/or behaviour contrary to FA rules", including "a reference to the ethnic origin &/or colour &/or race of Luis Suarez" came from, only Evra was not charged.
I'd suggest you go & try to comprehend some facts before coming on here with the hope of posting anything relevant, let alone reasoned