Luis Suarez will not play football for four months after biting Giorgio Chiellini on Tuesday – but the Uruguay and Liverpool forward denied committing the offence altogether.
Suarez was this week handed what is believed to be one of FIFA's most severe punishments in its history.
It was the third time he has been found guilty of biting an opponent on a football pitch and FIFA's disciplinary panel reacted accordingly.
As well as a nine-match international ban, effective immediately, the 27-year-old has a four-month ban from 'all football activity'.
However, in a letter to the panel written on Wednesday Suarez, who has since landed at Montevideo airport to a hero's welcome, pleaded his innocence.
"In no way it happened how you have described, as a bite or intent to bite," he said.
"After the impact ... I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent. At that moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth."
Support for Suarez from within Uruguay has been powerful, with head coach Oscar Tabarez resigning from FIFA's technical committee in protest.
In a 13-minute statement on Friday Tabarez labelled his star striker a 'scapegoat', before reusing to take questions and leaving to a standing ovation from the Uruguayan press.
And Suarez, who missed the start of last season through suspension after biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, also released a statement on Twitter.
He said: "Hi all, I write this post to give thanks to the outpouring of support and love I am receiving. Both myself and my family really appreciate it.
"Thank you very much for being by my side and I want all my colleagues today we support selection for the match against Colombia."
