"An Independent Regulatory Commission has today [Tuesday 20 December 2011] found a charge of misconduct against Luis Suarez proven, and have issued a suspension for a period of eight matches as well as fining him £40,000, pending appeal," the FA statement reads.
The ban goes into effect following the appeals process (if Suarez chooses to do so).
The penalty stems from the Oct. 15 meeting between the two clubs. In the second half of the 1-1 draw, the players were involved in a heated, verbal confrontation and had to be separated by referee Andre Marriner.
Evra took his charges of racial abuse to Marriner, who included it in his postgame report. The FA investigated the matter and took one month to formally charge the Liverpool star with misconduct.
Suarez pled not guilty to the charge and spent three days last week making his case in front of a hearing panel.
The decision to punish the Liverpool star deals a serious blow to Liverpool's 2011-12 campaign.
