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Soccer-Leeds' Doukara handed eight-game biting ban

LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) - Leeds United striker Souleymane Doukara has been banned for eight matches for biting an opponent, the English second-tier club and the Football Association said on Thursday. The 24-year-old forward was was found guilty of biting Fulham defender Fernando Amorebieta in their 1-1 draw on Feb. 23. Amorebieta was booked for his reaction to the bite. The FA said in a statement that the incident "was considered a non-standard case given the seriousness and both unusual and violent nature of the misconduct". The French-born Senegalese player will be eligible to return for Leeds' final game of their Championship campaign at Preston on May 7. The FA have handed out a number of bans for biting in recent seasons and famously suspended Barcelona striker Luis Suarez for 10 matches for the offence when he was playing for Liverpool. Suarez was also banned for seven games when playing for Ajax Amsterdam and kicked out of the 2014 World Cup for sinking his teeth into Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini. (Reporting by Toby Davis; Editing by Ken Ferris)