Liverpool's Luis Suarez has re-ignited his race row with Manchester United's Patrice Evra, by saying he did nothing wrong and the FA were simply targeting a Liverpool player.
The Uruguay forward served an eight-match ban after being found guilty of racially abusing Evra in their English Premier League match at Anfield in October. Suarez created more controversy by refusing to shake Evra's hand in their return fixture at Old Trafford in February. Liverpool stood by Suarez through the controversy, with several questioning the club's stand.
"The suspension, I suppose, you could call strange and unbelievable," the former Ajax striker told Russia Today in an interview. "Without a single shred of proof they suspended me.
"I accepted it, obviously, because they could have made (the suspension) longer and it would have just made the whole thing continue. However, my conscience is completely calm and so is that of the club and my family.
Suarez said he has played with players of all races in his home country of Uruguay as well as in Holland, during his time with Ajax Amsterdam.
"Everyone knows that in Uruguay there is a huge black population. I had team-mates and friends of both colours all the time in the national team, in Liverpool, in Holland, where the majority are from Surinam, and I never had any problem with them."
"Holland is one of the countries in the world where there is the highest number of black players."
Suarez said he was not concerned about what people outside Liverpool and Uruguay thought of him and accused the FA of "wanting to get rid of a Liverpool player."
"What the English press has said about me does not interest me. What interests me is what they say about me in Uruguay and in Liverpool, and they have always been very supportive."
Liverpool faced severe criticism from several quarters for the way they handled the affair with the club later admitting they had seriously mishandled the situation. Suarez, however, said he was not too worried about his reputation taking a beating.
"After the suspension, I was told the fans would taunt me, they would whistle me, shout at me and insult me, but to be honest it was not something I was worried about.
"Everyone whistled me in all the stadiums I played in all the time anyway, even before the allegation of racism. I try to pay it as little attention as possible and try to focus on what I like to do, which is to play."
