Rio de Janeiro/ Montevideo: International football officials have met to decide whether Uruguay striker Luis Suarez should be thrown out of the World Cup for biting an opponent.
A disciplinary panel gathered evidence against Suarez, who was shown sinking his teeth into Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during a match on Tuesday.
As Suarez, banned twice before for biting opposing players, awaited the outcome of the disciplinary hearing, Uruguay's President Jose Mujica rallied his country to the footballer's cause.
"I did not see him bite anyone," Mujica told reporters. "But they give each other so many kicks and blows and normally they put up with it."
Uruguay Football Association chief Wilmar Valdez presented evidence on Suarez's behalf to a FIFA panel in Rio.
"We believe that there is not sufficient evidence to truly sanction Luis," Valdez told Uruguayan television.
"It has to be clear and on the video that FIFA gave us we think that it is not really clear," Valdez said.
"We are confident that our defence will obtain results," he added.
FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer said earlier the disciplinary committee wanted to reach a decision on Suarez's case "as early as possible."
Uruguay are due to face Colombia in the last 16 on Saturday.
Fischer would not speculate on any possible punishment, although she said Suarez's previous offences could be taken into account.
"The disciplinary committee can take all elements into account as it deems necessary," she said.
Suarez was nowhere to be seen on Wednesday as his Uruguay team-mates trained in Natal amid the raging controversy.
The 27-year-old, who plays in the English Premier League for Liverpool, is one of the world's biggest stars, and could theoretically be banned for up to 24 games under FIFA rules.
Fischer declined to say whether any potential punishment could extend to club as well as international football.
"It's the disciplinary committee which decides the scope of any potential sanctions," she said.
Suarez has already received long bans for biting during his club career as well as racially abusing Manchester United player Patrice Evra during a game in 2011.
The latest flashpoint occurred near the end of Tuesday's Group D game against Italy in Natal.
Replays showed Suarez biting Chiellini's shoulder in an off-the-ball incident.
Chiellini angrily remonstrated with Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez, pulling his shirt off his shoulder to show red marks on his neck.
Afterwards, he told Italian television: "He bit me, it's clear, I still have the mark."
Suarez sought to play down the incident in comments to Uruguayan television, claiming Chiellini had barged him.
"There are things that happen on the pitch and you should not make such a big deal out of them," Suarez said.
However the damning video evidence has drawn almost blanket condemnation.
Uruguayans, president included, back Suarez:
From the president down to football players and fans, Uruguayans rallied behind Luis Suarez on Wednesday as their controversial hero risked a possible World Cup ouster for biting an opponent.
On social networks and in the streets, the volatile 27-year-old's compatriots played down the incident with Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini.
"I did not see him bite anyone. But they give each other so many kicks and blows and normally they put up with it," President Jose Mujica told reporters, describing Suarez as "an excellent player."
But some reactions were also tinged with regret, shame, anger and fear over the fallout from any FIFA punishment that could deprive Uruguay of its best player for the rest of the World Cup.
Uruguay play Colombia on Saturday in the last-16 elimination round.
FIFA officials met late Wednesday to decide whether to punish Suarez after gathering evidence over the incident.
Suarez bit Chiellini in Uruguay's 1-0 victory over Italy on Tuesday, which eliminated the European team. It was his third biting offense since 2010.
Uruguay captain Diego Lugano lashed out at British media, saying it was "persecuting" the Liverpool striker -- an argument echoed by many in the South American nation of three million.
"It wasn't a bite, it was a headbutt," supporter Noelia Tabarez told AFP. "And we can only imagine what the other guy must have said to provoke him. They're always testing Suarez to see how he'll react."
She was one of many to question the events in the Brazilian city of Natal, but even those who accepted that he had bitten Chiellini defended Suarez.
"He's not going to stop being a hero because of one mistake," said Santiago Campomar, 24.
