Uruguay rages against Suarez soccer ban for biting

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Soccer-crazy Uruguayans are raging at FIFA's decision to kick their star player out of the World Cup for his third biting incident, fearing it could deal a death blow to their bid to win the sport's greatest tournament.

Uruguay's soccer federation said Thursday it plans to appeal the ban, which prohibits striker Luis Suarez from all soccer activities for four months.

Uruguayans were nearly unanimous in their support of Suarez.

Fruit vendor Juan Jose Monzillo saw conspiracy behind the decision by soccer's governing body.

He said they "clearly wanted to kick Suarez out of the World Cup. Uruguay is a small country that eliminated two big nations like Italy and England and it doesn't benefit FIFA to let Uruguay continue playing."