Suarez apologizes if racial slur caused offense

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has issued a partial apology for the first time for racially abusing Manchester United Patrice Evra.

The Uruguay international was banned for eight matches and fined 40,000 pounds ($62,000) for calling Evra "negro" or "negros" sven times in October during a 1-1 draw at Anfield.

Suarez said on Tuesday he would reluctantly accept the punishment while stressing he had done nothing wrong.

In a new statement on Wednesday Suarez says he "admitted to the commission that I said a word in Spanish once, and only once and I told the panel members that I will not use it again on a football pitch in England."

He added: "I never, ever used this word in a derogatory way and if it offends anyone then I want to apologize for that."