Luis Suarez told a FIFA disciplinary panel that he did not deliberately bite Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, but rather fell teeth-first on his shoulder.

The Uruguay striker said in a statement of defense that his actions ''in no way [happened] how you have described, as a bite or intent to bite.''

"I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent," Suarez said.

''At that moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth."

A FIFA panel ruled the bite to be ''deliberate, intentional and without provocation.''

Suarez was banned for nine Uruguay matches and four months from all football activities.