British Prime Minister David Cameron has followed up his comments on the Luis Suarez affair, stating that he was speaking as “a dad watching the game.” saying the Uruguayan’s bite on Branislav Ivanovic set “the most appalling example” to children.
"As a dad and as a human being do I think we should have tough penalties when football players behave like this? Yes," Mr Cameron told BBC Radio 5 live.
"I have a seven-year-old son who loves football, loves watching football and when players behave like this, it sets the most appalling example to young people in our country," he added,” he added.
When asked if he felt the ten game ban was a fair sentence for the Liverpool striker, Cameron resoponded:
“That's up to the FA, it's not my decision. The FA make the decision, they're entirely independent and that is the way it should work.
"I'm going to leave it entirely to the FA. But if you're asking me as a dad and as a human being, do I think we should have tough penalties when players behave like this, yes I think we should.
"There are people, I've read in some newspapers, who think somehow this isn't serious. I think it is serious, when we're trying to bring up our children properly, they do see football players as role models.
"Bringing up children is one of the toughest things we do but you can't wrap them in cotton wool and hide them away from the world, they do see these real-life examples and they repeat them back to you."
Cameron had previously commented on the matter, saying the role of footballer’s as role models in society could be taken into account when deciding on a punishment for Suarez. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers subsequently said he felt Cameron’s public comments on the issue had contributed to the ten game ban handed to Suarez.
"The Prime Minister even chipped in with something which was a different matter altogether," said Rodgers.
"There's no doubt if you have those high-profile figures making those sort of statements, there will be a bias.
"That's the first time I've heard of an independent panel being dictated to by so many people."
