IT’S the contradiction that strikes to the heart of the Luis Suarez controversy.

How can a player stated by a regulatory commission as not being racist then be found guilty of being racist?

Such is the complex and difficult case that sees the Liverpool FC striker now facing an eight-match ban and the onerous task of removing a significant stain on his character.

But the growing realisation is nobody will come out of this situation in a positive light.

Not Suarez. Not Liverpool. Not Patrice Evra. And not the Football Association.

Let’s get one thing straight. Similar to any form of prejudice or discrimination, racism has no place in society, let alone football.

If Suarez was indeed guilty, then he deserves to be punished; in much the same way John Terry should be censured if also found to have racially abused an opponent.

But it’s that disclaimer right there. If. An element of doubt persists surrounding the Suarez case and, with the player’s lack of apology indicating he believes he is innocent of the charge, it will persist until the FA release their full details of the hearing.

Not least because, if Liverpool’s claims are verified, the FA’s opening remarks admitted Suarez was not racist, a belief also shared by Evra.

So to then slap the Uruguayan with such a huge ban and, by association, taint him for arguably the remainder of his career is at best inconsistent, at worst hypocritical.

And by taking so long to deliver an ultimately confusing judgement, the FA have, rather than dealing with the matter clearly and concisely, instead allowed it to mushroom out of control.

Seizing on this, Liverpool’s response and subsequent stance couldn’t have been more hard-hitting.

But while their intentions are honourable, the manner in which they have thus far been enacted is perhaps less so.