The four month global ban imposed on Luis Suarez for his World Cup bite is too harsh, the victim Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini said yesterday as the Uruguay striker returned home to a hero's welcome.

Hundreds of fans were waiting at Montevideo airport for Suarez who arrived in a private jet after being ordered by FIFA to leave Uruguay's team hotel in Brazil.

Chiellini, who became the third biting victim in Suarez' career during his side's 1-0 defeat to Uruguay, said he felt for the temperamental striker and his family.

"I have always considered unequivocal the disciplinary interventions by the competent bodies, but at the same time I believe that the proposed formula is excessive," said Chiellini on his website.

Aside from the four month ban from all football activity, FIFA also imposed a nine game international suspension and a 100,000 Swiss franc (US$112,000). The sanctions booted Suarez out of the World Cup.

"There only remains the anger and the disappointment about the match," Chiellini said. "At the moment, my only thought is for Luis and his family, because they will face a very difficult period.

Suarez, 27, bid farewell to his team-mates on Thursday as they prepared for today's last 16 game with Colombia.

The Uruguayan nation has rallied behind the shamed goalscorer however.

The private jet landed in Montevideo just before dawn, where hundreds of fans carrying banners with slogans such as "Luis, All Of Uruguay Is With You" were waiting.

"He has been treated worse than a murderer, when it was just a mistake," one fan said.

President Jose Mujica went to the airport intending to greet the star striker. He left again because Suarez's flight was delayed. Suarez was driven away to his mother's home in the southern province of Canelones.

Fallout from the ban quickly spread with gambling website 888 Poker terminating its sponsorship deal with Suarez.

And sports equipment giant Adidas said it was halting the use of Suarez in adverts for the duration of the World Cup.

Meanwhile, FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said yesterday that Suarez should seek professional help to stop him from repeatedly biting opponents.

"He should go through a treatment. It is definitely wrong," Valcke said.

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