Liverpool's Suarez gets 8-game ban for racial abuse

The English Football Association says Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been banned for eight matches and fined 40,000 pounds ($62,000) after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

Evra, a black France international, claimed that Suarez directed a racial insult at him during United's Premier League match at Liverpool in October.

The FA said in a statement on Tuesday that it found "a charge of misconduct against Luis Suarez proven."

It said the 24-year-old Uruguay international had "used insulting words towards Mr Evra during the match" and that "the insulting words used by Mr Suarez included a reference to Mr Evra's colour."

Suarez had denied the charge.